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WHERE HAVE ALL THE PATIENTS GONE?

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COVID-19 has created a secondary epidemic in which people are effectively risking their lives to avoid risking their lives. Imagine a family member enduring a heart attack at home with no medical attention. It’s a terrifying thought. But it is happening with alarming regularity all over the country.  A recent piece by Tomislav Mihaljevic, MD, […]

THE LATEST TOOLS TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL FIRST-PASS INTUBATION

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by Dave Olvera The facilitation of advanced airway management in the prehospital setting is a critical technique for patient care. Historically, the modalities and techniques have changed in prehospital transport. Included in these updates is the advancement of intubation devices and enhanced cognitive offload tools. Earlier this week, I wrote an article for AirMed & […]

AIR METHODS DEDICATED TO SERVING OLDER AMERICANS WITH NO MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED

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We all see older adults around the country make their mark every day as volunteers, employees, employers, parents, grandparents, mentors, and advocates. They offer their time, talents, and experience to the benefit of our communities. May is Older Americans Month (OAM) and, as we come to the end of the month, we wanted to make […]

RECOGNIZING OUR EVERYDAY HEROES

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As EMS Week comes to an end, and we head into Memorial Day Weekend, it is the perfect time to say thank you to the selfless heroes who put their lives on the line to rescue and care for the sick and injured every single day. At Air Methods, and all the other air medical […]

A NIGHT IN NEW YORK: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE COVID-19 RESPONSE

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By Aidan O’Connor, Jr.Northeast Sales Director, Air Methods The past couple of months have been a true test for the entire healthcare industry. COVID-19 has challenged us all. As is often the case when disasters occur, even unprecedented ones like this, people have stepped up all over the world to do their part to fight […]

HEALTH AFFAIRS STUDY POINTS OUT PROBLEMS WITH BALANCE BILLING, BUT DOESN’T ADDRESS ENTIRE ISSUE

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By JaeLynn WilliamsCEO, Air Methods This week, our team read with interest a study titled, “Most Patients Undergoing Ground And Air Ambulance Transportation Receive Sizable Out-Of-Network Bills,” that was published by Health Affairs on April 15. While it examines balance billing from one point of view, it is important to provide thoughts from the perspective of an emergency air […]

DURING COVID-19 CRISIS, AIR MEDICAL SERVICES ARE CRUCIAL COMPONENT TO TIMELY PATIENT CARE

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During this national healthcare crisis, Air Methods continues to provide lifesaving emergency air medical services for patients. The safety of our teammates, partners, and patients, remains our top priority and our vital services will continue, without disruption as long as we can do so in a safe manner, in accordance with proper medical protocol. Emergency […]

FLORIDA RESIDENT ADVOCATES FOR AIR AMBULANCE CARE AND INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT

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When Karen Espinosa suffered a stroke last year at her home in Lake City, Florida, she met the Florida criteria for a Stroke Alert. Thanks to the Florida Standard of Care, this meant she had to be transported by the fastest means available to a stroke center. In her case, helicopter transport from Lake City […]

UNIVERSITY-STYLE RESEARCH MEANS LIFE-SAVING IMPROVEMENTS FOR AIR METHODS EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

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Several years ago, David Olvera, clinical education manager, awoke at night to find his fiancée convulsing in bed. She is a diabetic who had been working 80-hour weeks as a restaurant manager, and in her exhaustion, accidentally took the wrong medication. She’s doing fine now, but the emergency led David to reflect: human error increases when people are […]

DOUG KRUESI, MAINTAINER, CELEBRATES 30 YEARS AT AIR METHODS

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In 1978, Doug Krueis, Air Methods component technician, started maintaining helicopters in the oil and gas industry and loved the adventure. “You’re in the mountains, you’re off-shore; to me, it was exciting at the time.” However, after several years, he decided that he preferred the reward – and mission – of working in EMS, and […]

FOR THOUSANDS IN MIDDLE GEORGIA, AIR AMBULANCES CAN BE THE ONLY WAY TO LIFE-SAVING CARE

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Medical helicopter flights can shave off precious minutes when you need to get to the hospital fast. One flight changed a Middle Georgia police officer’s life. Butler Police Officer Crystal Houseweart doesn’t remember July 29, 2016. “I woke up in Macon, and they told me I’d been in a car accident,” Houseweart said. Even with no memory of the […]

AIR METHODS LEADER WINS AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

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If you’ve ever been life-flighted in a helicopter, driven by ambulance or wheeled down the hall in a hospital gurney, say a word of thanks to Air Methods’ Allen C. Wolfe Jr. for your safe transportation. An industry leader, Wolfe has won the Association of Air Medical Services’ Marriott-Carlson Lifetime Achievement Award for innovations that […]