KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Area hospitals are still weighing options and looking at alternative plans after West Michigan Air Care announced it will discontinue its medical helicopter service April 20.
Ascension Borgess Hospital and Bronson Healthcare decided to pull out of the consortium that provided most of their business. Kalamazoo-based West Michigan Air Care provides rapid medical services for patients at the scene of a crash, transfers critically ill and injured patients between hospitals, and transports specialty teams.
West Michigan Air Care was founded in March 1993 as a cooperative effort between Ascension Borgess and Bronson Healthcare. In September 2016, Air Care began a new partnership with Metro Aviation, which provides a helicopter as well as pilots and maintenance technicians for West Michigan Air Care.
At joint statement from the hospitals said, “Ascension Borgess and Bronson Healthcare will be maintaining the helipads at our hospitals and will continue to transfer and receive patients via other helicopter services that serve the region to ensure patient care is not disrupted. Plans are in place to work with impacted West Michigan Air Care associates to determine potential opportunities for transitioning to open positions at Ascension Borgess and Bronson Healthcare that match their training and interests.”
Bill Manns, President and CEO of Bronson Healthcare, says the decision was based on a 50% decrease in flights over the last 15 years. The helicopter service had around 350 flights in the past year.
Ambulance services like Life EMS and others say they will step up to try and fill the void, in addition to other medical helicopter services in the state.
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