Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital begins EMS transport service
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Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital has obtained an emergency medical services license to operate independent EMS ambulance service.
For the hospital, the move comes after more than a decade of contracting with industry vendors for the service.
The hospital began its Critical Care Transport program in 2008 but operated under a separate EMS vendor. Last month, St. Mary’s Hospital chaplains provided a blessing of the CCT’s ambulance.
With its own EMS license, the St. Mary’s Hospital CCT program can transport any patient needing any level of medical care. Most often, the team transports NICU, pediatric, maternal-fetal patients and adult critical care patients.
“This is an enormous benefit to the patients in our community,” says Tara Richards, director of operations at Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital. “With the launch of our independent EMS services, we are a ‘mobile intensive care unit,’ meaning our teams are able to begin the higher level of care the patient requires as soon as they arrive.
“Until now, paramedics and EMTs have not been part of this team as Bon Secours associates. The addition of these professionals improves patient care and allows for a full complement of skill and specialties. We are very excited to be of service to our community.”
While the CCT team does not respond to 911 calls, it will be used for interfacility transports and is planning to add additional ambulances and crews to grow the program.
“We are so proud of St. Mary’s Critical Care Transport team and their continued growth and service to our community. We are sending our prayers to the team and can’t wait to see all the good work they achieve,” said Bryan Lee, president of Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital.
