Air-care service won't fly

Air-care service won't fly

Company pulls hospital's helicopter

Jan. 16, 2001

By Jim Mimiaga
Journal Staff Writer

Southwest Memorial Hospital no longer has emergency helicopter service on campus because there is not enough business during the slow winter months.

Classic Air pulled its medical-rescue helicopter and pilots out of the Cortez-area market in December, citing lackluster demand, reported Dr. Mike Duehrssen, ER medical director for Southwest.

Over a six-month trial period ,Classic Air delivered patients a mere 61 times, with most activity taking place during the summer months. To make a profit, Classic requires at least 3-4 billable trips per week consistently, an amount not being met.

The private company, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, stationed one of its helicopters at Southwest Memorial at the urging of Duehrssen. The Southwest Health System board agreed to the plan for a trial period.

Classic paid most of the costs, including the helicopter, maintenance, crews and a pilot. SHS provided a new helicopter pad, and a half-time staff member for a total cost of $34,000.

Classic’s service is expected to return this spring, Duehrssen informed the Montezuma County Hospital District board at its meeting Wednesday.

"They will be coming back in May, and we’re working to get a bigger ship that can handle more weight and fly at higher altitudes," he said.

Duehrssen and Ed Martinez, Southwest’s lead EMT, told the board that despite the apparent lack of business for a rescue helicopter, the demand for that type of service will increase along with the region’s expected growth.

To provide for that future need, they requested that the MCHD board help to fund a $600,000 helicopter hanger and living quarters for emergency services on the hospital campus.

The facility would house the helicopter and ambulances, along with sleeping quarters for paramedics, and other crews who could be scheduled on-site for quicker response time during emergencies.

A conference room, kitchen, work bays, training rooms, office space and a decontamination room would also be included in the two-story, 25,000-square-foot building.

"Having a building would allow us to cover shifts more efficiently, and our ambulances would last longer if they were in bays," said Martinez.

Duehrssen added that the metal structure could also be used for community functions, classes, and area disaster needs.

Half of the estimated costs could be paid through federal or state grants, he said, and initial blueprints had been drawn up from funds already raised. Martinez and Duehrssen suggested that the board use collected tax dollars to fund $150,000 of the project, distributed over a three-year period in $50,000 installments.

But Southwest’s foundering helicopter service and the subsequent request for a new hanger met with sharp criticism from MCHD board member Randy Smith. He has been critical of the need for a helicopter rescue service at Southwest, arguing that Air Care One out of San Juan Regional in Farmington successfully offers the service already.

"This request for a hanger is putting the cart before the horse," Smith said. "The helicopter service has not proven itself, and besides it is not even here any more. I could not support a hanger facility until the service proves it can be financially feasible for at least one year."

An on-site crew is essential, Smith said; otherwise critical time is lost because the pilot has to be paged and then needs time to arrive at the hospital pad.

"Air Care is effective because they have an on-site crew that can be on their way in a moment’s notice," he said.

The board also discussed the importance of using a helicopter that can fly at higher altitudes and carry more patient weight than the one that was being used. The chopper being used could handle approximately 600 pounds of patient weight and could land at upwards of 11,000 feet.

"The capacity is important, because it gets pretty spooky if you’re forced to leave one patient in favor of another," said MCHD board member Fred DeWitt.

MCHD board chair Susan Keck cautioned that not too much effort be put into the project until the board could consider the proposal. She said that before that could happen, a detailed budget needs to be submitted for the building.

Martinez urged action, saying that it would be a mistake to underestimate the growth potential for this area.

"With that comes more rescue needs," he said. "And our coverage area is not just around Cortez, but it is also in Utah, Arizona and New Mexico."

Air-Care One, based out of San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington will continue to serve the Four Corners medical-air transport needs.