Wednesday, April 30, 2003
When it rains it pours.....
Anybody looking to hire a flight nurse???
Wednesday, April 29, 1:00 p.m. Media Conference
Guest Dining Room
CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital will discontinue Med Link Air Transport Services effective August 1, 2003. Operated as a service to the people of Southeast Texas since 1989, it has historically lost between $800,000 and $1 million annually. To lessen this financial burden, the hospital has sought out alternative funding sources, grants, local donors, etc. to help support the program for the last two years to no avail.
The hospital is no longer in a position to subsidize services that are not self-sustaining
because of the continuing erosion of payment from government payers, increasing cost of non-controllable expenses (such as insurance), the current business climate and downturn in the economy.
The community will not be without air medical service due to Goldstar EMS’s plans to base five helicopters in the area. Our decision will eliminate duplication of services; reducing overall cost to this market at a time when health premiums continue to see double digit increases.
The hospital will continue to operate a round-the-clock Transfer Center that is currently operated through Med Link to facilitate patient transfers to or from other medical facilities. The decision will not affect the hospital’s recent award and designation as a Level lll Trauma Center.
Subject to regulatory guidelines, St. Elizabeth will make our helipad available to patients transported by other air ambulance services on an as needed basis. Southeast Texas has a robust ground ambulance network that can be used to supplement local air ambulance service when necessary.
We feel confident that the 16 CHRISTUS associates impacted by this decision will have opportunities to remain with the facility if they choose, due to the strong demand for clinical expertise in the hospital.
The pilot, mechanic and helicopter are leased from Metro Aviation, Shreveport, Louisiana. St. Elizabeth has notified the company that we will terminate our lease agreement as of August 1. This decision is a continuation of the hospital’s ongoing strategy to reposition services based upon market conditions through growth such as hyperbaric and other outpatient treatments plus reduction of non-core services such as the rural health clinics, prenatal clinic and medical residency program to ensure the sustainability of CHRISTUS Health in Southeast Texas.
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Anybody looking to hire a flight nurse???
Wednesday, April 29, 1:00 p.m. Media Conference
Guest Dining Room
CHRISTUS St. Elizabeth Hospital will discontinue Med Link Air Transport Services effective August 1, 2003. Operated as a service to the people of Southeast Texas since 1989, it has historically lost between $800,000 and $1 million annually. To lessen this financial burden, the hospital has sought out alternative funding sources, grants, local donors, etc. to help support the program for the last two years to no avail.
The hospital is no longer in a position to subsidize services that are not self-sustaining
because of the continuing erosion of payment from government payers, increasing cost of non-controllable expenses (such as insurance), the current business climate and downturn in the economy.
The community will not be without air medical service due to Goldstar EMS’s plans to base five helicopters in the area. Our decision will eliminate duplication of services; reducing overall cost to this market at a time when health premiums continue to see double digit increases.
The hospital will continue to operate a round-the-clock Transfer Center that is currently operated through Med Link to facilitate patient transfers to or from other medical facilities. The decision will not affect the hospital’s recent award and designation as a Level lll Trauma Center.
Subject to regulatory guidelines, St. Elizabeth will make our helipad available to patients transported by other air ambulance services on an as needed basis. Southeast Texas has a robust ground ambulance network that can be used to supplement local air ambulance service when necessary.
We feel confident that the 16 CHRISTUS associates impacted by this decision will have opportunities to remain with the facility if they choose, due to the strong demand for clinical expertise in the hospital.
The pilot, mechanic and helicopter are leased from Metro Aviation, Shreveport, Louisiana. St. Elizabeth has notified the company that we will terminate our lease agreement as of August 1. This decision is a continuation of the hospital’s ongoing strategy to reposition services based upon market conditions through growth such as hyperbaric and other outpatient treatments plus reduction of non-core services such as the rural health clinics, prenatal clinic and medical residency program to ensure the sustainability of CHRISTUS Health in Southeast Texas.
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