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Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Ambulance Service Operations Head In New Direction

The review of operations of the Lawrence County Ambulance Service has taken a new direction, now that a private company has withdrawn its offer to operate the agency.

Lawrence County Executive Paul Rosson said officials with Lifeguard Ambulance Service contacted his office last week regarding the matter.  Rosson said Lifeguard representatives notified him that the company had decided to withdraw its proposal to operate the ambulance service. 

In October of 2008, Lawrence County requested proposals from private ambulance companies for operation of an emergency ambulance service.  Lifeguard was the sole company to offer such a proposal. A committee assigned by the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners to review operations of the ambulance service referred the matter to the full county commission for review.  In January, the county commission authorized negotiations to proceed between county officials and Lifeguard regarding contract terms.  Lifeguard representatives then began meetings with county officials, ambulance staff and management to gather additional information. 

In a letter last week, Lifeguard Chief Operating Officer Brett Jovanovich said the company requested to remove itself from all discussion of a fully outsourced EMS system, but would be interested in providing consulting services to the county.

“We have been working for some time on a parallel path to resolve historic and ongoing issues with the ambulance service,” Rosson said.  “Now that the committee’s proposal has run its course, it is time for a new direction.”

According to Rosson, the county’s Office of Accounts and Budgets will, effective immediately, begin the collection of past-due ambulance service accounts.  The ambulance service will continue handling collection of current accounts.

“Through the study committee process, many problems were brought to the surface,” Rosson said. “A change of leadership is needed to resolve these issues.”

A search for a new ambulance service director will commence this week.  The new director will be tasked with restructuring the ambulance service to ensure it is operating as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible while maintaining a high level of customer service.  In the meantime, operations will remain under the current management system. 

“It is our intent that a new director will be appointed and confirmed in the coming months,” Rosson said.