THE POSITIVE DYNAMICS OF MERGING EMS AGENCIES In many parts of America, EMS is provided by local EMS agencies that were initially all volunteer agencies. Many smaller agencies have been struggling due to lack of volunteers, call volume, and funding. These were some of the factors leading to our agencies, Chili Ambulance, Henrietta Ambulance, and Scottsville local agency name, be it Chili, Henrietta, or Scottsville. We are currently working on a marketing campaign to acclimate our communities to the new corporation. Also, as part of the merger process, we formed work groups that consisted of representatives from each of the 3 agencies, the goals of which were to challenge everything. Why is any one agency doing what they are now and does it make sense to continue that process?
Rescue Squad in New York merging to form CHS Mobile Integrated Health Care, Inc. in May of 2017. The merger was a two-year process whereby an agency doing 6000, 2500, and 400 calls per year respectivel came together in an effort to continue the community EMS services started as far back as the 1940’s. A merger is no easy task, however. How would we maintain our heritage and our community identity, what would the organizational chart look like, and who would comprise the Board of Directors? Our bylaws for the new non-profit corporation set aside seats for representatives of each of the agencies. We created a new corporation with a new name via a naming contest and welcomed participation from all of the members/staff from each agency. The name ultimately chosen (CHS Mobile Integrated Health Care) reflected a broad range of pre-hospital services and preserved our agencies’ initials (although CHS does not actually mean Chili, Henrietta, Scottsville). Our fleet is all branded with CHS MIHC, but still have the
The strength of the message empowered everyone to look inward and outward for new ideas and make suggestions for improvement to our overall operations. As a result of the merger, the quality of care across the entire coverage area has improved as all the members and employees have access to a high fidelity simulation lab for ongoing training. We instituted an after action review process for any major event/call. Our overall QA program was revamped to a clinical care program using the just culture model. Purchasing, fleet maintenance, administrative support, and medical billing resources were spread across the three agencies, allowing for a more efficient operation, stabilizing the overall cost of operation. In short, our merger spawned committees and work groups that have streamlined our operations and encouraged engagement by all of our personnel.
Reg Allen, BS, NREMT-P Chief / CEO, CHS Mobile Integrated Health Care
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MOUNT SINAI HEALTH SYSTEM | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
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