Commitment to safety and outstanding patient care.
Always ready to respond when it matters most.
Our patient advocates are standing by.
We are happy to announce the delivery of two Airbus AS350/H125 aircrafts to LifeSave 21 and 22, an Air Methods program. The two bases are located in Emporia, KS (LifeSave 21) and Dodge City, KS (LifeSave 22). Both bases hosted ribbon cutting ceremonies to give their communities firsthand looks at the latest additions to their fleets.
The Airbus AS350/H125 boasts best-in-class clinical and safety benefits – making it the most utilized air medical craft in the United States. These aircrafts are reliable, versatile and shine in scene transport areas and we are grateful for the opportunity to show communities how they will be used to better serve patients in times of emergency.
During missions, LifeSave crews are trained to execute lifesaving patient interventions – all while enroute to the hospital. The clinical support and speed of transport is critical to ensure patients receive the best and most timely treatment possible. In partnership with Newman Regional Health in Emporia and Western Plains Medical Center in Dodge City, the helicopters will be based out of their respective hospitals so patients can continue their care journey immediately after touchdown.
Local caregivers, EMS, and Chamber Members were on site to hear from LifeSave crews on how this aircraft will be used in life saving interventions across Kansas. From providing trauma care after an accident, to administering clot-busting medications after a major stroke, the helicopter will significantly improve outcomes for patients needing immediate care in the community.
Access to healthcare during a medical emergency is a critical need for every community. LifeSave is an in-network provider with a robust patient advocacy team to help patients navigate post-flight insurance requirements to keep patients’ out-of-pocket cost low. We are proud to serve a vital role in making certain that during an emergency, our friends and neighbors are rapidly provided the medical care they need.
(GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colorado, April 01, 2021) (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Air Methods, the leading air medical service in the U.S., is collaborating with Baylor Scott & White Health to open a base in Waco, Texas, on April 1, as AirLift Texas. The base will provide emergency air medical services to Temple and Bell County; Waco and McLennan County; Falls County and Coryell County.
“We are proud to work with Baylor Scott & White and will bring the highest quality of medical care to our patients in central Texas,” said Shane Farmer, vice president of customer experience, Air Methods. “In emergency situations, minutes can be the difference between life and death. Air medical services ensure fast and efficient transport with the best clinicians and pilots in the industry.”
The AirLift Texas Waco base is located at the Waco Regional Airport, 7909 Karl May Drive and will provide emergency air medical services 24/7/365 to the region, responding to emergency medical calls for trauma events such as heart attacks and strokes, pediatric emergencies, and other incidents, as well as critical interfacility transports.
The AirLift Texas air ambulance helicopter is an EC145 twin-engine light utility helicopter staffed with industry-leading trauma clinicians and pilots with years of experience in the field and will carry lifesaving blood and plasma on every flight. Skilled aviation mechanics ensure the aircraft is always safe and mission ready.
Air Methods and AirLift Texas adhere to strict COVID-19 protocols that include full personal protective equipment (PPE) for crews and decontamination of the aircraft after every transport. The base is committed to treating and transporting any patient who requires care.
During missions, air medical teams execute lifesaving interventions to care for patients, from providing trauma care after an accident to administering clot-busting medications after a major stroke. The clinical support and speed of transport is critical to ensure patients receive the best and most timely treatment possible. This includes transportation of COVID-19 patients throughout the region. All patients who are transported by AirLift Texas also have access to robust patient advocacy services to assist with the post-flight billing process so that they can focus on their recovery.
“As an in-network provider in Texas with a robust patient advocacy team to help patients navigate post-flight insurance requirements, it is our goal to keep our patients’ out-of-pocket expenses low,” said Kelly Shepherd, regional sales director, Air Methods. “And we do this, unlike many other air medical companies, without ever requiring or asking anyone to purchase air medical memberships, which are both an unnecessary and unregulated expense for any Texan.”
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About Air MethodsAir Methods is the leading air medical service, delivering lifesaving care to more than 70,000 people every year. With nearly 40 years of air medical experience, Air Methods is the preferred partner for hospitals and one of the largest community-based providers of air medical services. United Rotorcraft is the Company’s products division specializing in the design and manufacture of aeromedical and aerospace technology. Air Methods’ fleet of owned, leased or maintained aircraft features more than 450 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.
Media Contacts: Doug FlandersVP Corporate Communications, Air Methods*protected email*
Matt PeraAmendola Communications for Air Methods(219) 628-0258*protected email*
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 the pandemic. And we have been forced to quickly develop new ways of doing things.
In my role at Air Methods, coordinating transports between hospitals and our flight crews, I have seen many examples of heroism since this crisis began. One recent incident in which I was involved exemplified the dedication and talent of healthcare heroes on the frontlines.
From my location in upstate New York, I was informed one night in early April that Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Queens, New York City, had experienced an interruption in its oxygen system, threatening the lives of many COVID-19 patients who were suffering from respiratory failure. I began communicating with one of my teammates, Jennifer Noce, a clinician who was stationed at the facility, to coordinate efforts to move patients to facilities that were equipped to treat them, while also relieving the pressure that staff was experiencing at Jamaica Hospital.
Jennifer worked with Jamaica Hospital’s emergency director and charge nurse to locate patients who needed transport, while I worked with Albany Medical Center and officials in New York City to begin moving those patients from Queens to upstate New York. Several other Air Methods colleagues helped manage all the moving parts. William Stubba, one of our area managers, for example, worked hard to get aircraft to JFK International Airport in New York City.
All told, we dispatched 23 aircraft to JFK that night to meet ambulances carrying COVID-19 patients from Jamaica Hospital. In total over that week, we transported 49 patients to Albany Medical Center and other Albany area hospitals in upstate New York, which were not experiencing the crisis-level surge that healthcare facilities all over NYC were dealing with.
It was an amazing coordination of care. The Albany Medical Center Transfer Center acted as a point of contact and identified available beds for patients who were en route to their facility. The decision of who to transport was made by the physicians and healthcare providers at the referring hospital, which were then accepted by physicians at Albany Medical Center.
I was honored to be a part of this incredible effort. It exemplified the synergy that is needed during times of adversity, when agility, communication, and determination saves lives. Everyone was dedicated to these efforts and were able to work through an intense and somewhat chaotic situation. From clinicians like Jennifer, to managers like William, to the many pilots, nurses, and mechanics on each flight crew – everyone came together to accomplish a goal that developed rapidly.
This incident proved to be an invaluable learning experience for myself and everyone else who was involved. Air medical services are often called to the scenes of accidents where there is not much time to think. The crew arrives, they stabilize the patient, and they fly them to the appropriate hospital. During the pandemic, incidents like the one at Jamaica Hospital, a different plan of attack has been required. While we have always taken a highly coordinated approach, incidents like car accidents have many similarities and procedures become almost automatic. However, that has not been the case when dealing with COVID-19. Agility and deliberate decision-making coordinated among multiple teams has become more integrated into our processes. And that will help us improve our approach to care long after we emerge from this pandemic.