AIRLIFE Denver Spreads Its Wings With Third Helicopter
DENVER, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ — AIRLIFE Denver is expanding emergency services with the addition of a third helicopter to be stationed in northern Colorado. The expansion is expected to take effect in February 2008 and will provide air ambulance coverage to an area with a documented need for quality emergency and critical care transportation.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071218/LATU120)
AIRLIFE has partnered with Air Methods, a Colorado-based company committed to exceeding the highest safety standards in the industry, and the Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District to operate the third AIRLIFE safety enhanced aircraft from Frederick-Firestone Fire Station #2. This location on I-25 southeast of Longmont compliments the existing helicopter bases in Lone Tree [at Sky Ride Medical Center] and Aurora [at The Medical Center of Aurora]. Frederick-Firestone was strategically chosen to augment existing ground and air medical resources in the area.
“This new base allows us to reach more patients, more areas, more quickly, while providing the high quality care our patients and partners expect, 24 hours a day,” says Jana Williams, program director for AIRLIFE Denver.
The four AIRLIFE specialty teams — High Risk Obstetrics, Neonatal transport, Intra-aortic balloon pump team, and the Stroke team — in addition to the primary flight nurse team will respond to emergency needs in the northern communities with this new helicopter.
This third helicopter will provide service in northern Colorado — Boulder County, Weld County, Morgan County, Larimer County and southern Wyoming. AirLife’s expansion has the support of officials with northern Colorado emergency medical services and hospitals in the area.
“We are proud to partner with AIRLIFE Denver for their long-standing commitment to the community,” says Theodore Poszywak, fire chief, Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District. “This development greatly increases the area’s access to quality medical services and rapid transport.”
While a third helicopter is new to AirLife; its emergency transport teams have been serving northern Colorado, the metro Denver area, and an eight-state region for 25 years. They continue to grow the strength and capabilities of the emergency medicine program by expanding community outreach and injury prevention programs, quality and process improvement projects, EMS and facility continuing education offerings and of course, the newest safety curriculum.
“AIRLIFE doesn’t just transport patients; they work in partnership with organizations like Frederick-Firestone Fire Department and emergency medicine physicians to advance the care and safety for all pre-hospital patients for better patient outcomes,” says Mark Maertins, MD, medical director, AIRLIFE Denver at HealthONE’s Swedish Medical Center.
On average, AIRLIFE Denver transports 2400 patients per year, which amounts to nearly seven calls per day.
AIRLIFE Denver is the Emergency Medical and Critical Care Transport Service of the HealthONE system of hospitals, clinics and healthcare plazas, providing air and ground critical care transport for both adult and pediatric medical and trauma patients.
HCA-HealthONE LLC is the largest healthcare system in the metro Denver area with 8,500 employees and 3,000 affiliated physicians. Named Colorado’s “Best Company for Working Families — large business category” (2004, 2005, 2006), the health system was created in 1995 as a joint venture between various affiliates of HCA and The Colorado Health Foundation (formerly HealthONE Alliance), the state’s second largest nonprofit foundation. HealthONE includes: The Medical Center of Aurora and Centennial Medical Plaza; North Suburban Medical Center; Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center; Rose Medical Center; Sky Ridge Medical Center; Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital; Swedish Medical Center and Swedish Southwest ER; 11 surgical centers; more than 35 occupational medicine/rehabilitation, Broncos Sports Medicine, specialty, and outpatient diagnostic imaging clinics; as well as AIRLIFE, which provides critical care air and ground transportation for a seven state region.
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071218/LATU120PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
HealthONE
CONTACT: Leslie Horna, HealthONE PR Strategist, +1-303-584-6100,Leslie.horna@HealthONEcares.com
Web site: http://www.healthonecares.com/