Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

“Why do I get a bill if the ambulance takes me to the hospital?” Recently, the newspaper seems to be filled with information on the provision of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), with the discussion ranging from how to replace old, unreliable vehicles, to who should be providing EMS to the Sundance community, how does the services support itself and how should funding occur.

Recently, a large company offered “informational lunches” to discuss medical transportation “membership”; however, they cancelled these meetings.

Currently, Sundance EMS operates as a cooperative effort between the City of Sundance (owners of the existing older ambulances) and Crook County Medical Services District (operating the EMS service, employing all staff members, and supplying all the equipment and supplies). When a patient is transported by Sundance EMS, be it from the scene of a 911 incident, or during an interfaculty transport from the Sundance Hospital to a larger, more comprehensive facility for specialty care, the patient’s insurance is billed.

This allows us to continue providing Advanced Life Support care to our community. The ambulance bills for service just as the clinic and hospital does. Reimbursement is often at the 50-60 percent level of what is billed, regardless of the actual cost of care.

Our goal is to provide sustainable, excellent quality care to the residents and visitors to our community and to assist to our community and county partners to maintain the health and wellbeing of the people in our county. Recent initiatives to this end include; working with the revenue cycle department at the hospital to ensure the cash flow required to operate, entering in to a short term lease of a more reliable ambulance until a longer term solution can be finalized; and continued innovation in staffing to ensure professional staffing.

Warren E. Shaulis, MSN, ENP-C

Assistant Medical Director

Sundance EMS