MVP News
Med-Trans Corporation Partners with Erlanger Health System’s Life Force Air Medical Program
6/6/2008
DALLAS, TX - Med-Trans Corporation (Med-Trans) announced today that it has partnered with Erlanger Health System, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and assumed operations of its LIFE FORCE air medical service. Under the arrangement, Med-Trans acquired the program's two Bell 412 and one Bell 206 L4 helicopters, as well as other selected assets, and entered into a long-term agreement to provide aviation services for the program.
Erlanger's LIFE FORCE will continue the same medical direction, medical staffing and program management structure that it has provided since the program's founding in 1988. LIFE FORCE's 59 employees currently serve communities in Southeast and Middle Tennessee, North Georgia and portions of southwestern North Carolina and northeastern Alabama. Sixteen employees are moving to Med-Trans. LIFE FORCE aircraft are located in Sparta, Tennessee; Calhoun, Georgia; and at the Erlanger Baroness Campus in Chattanooga.
Jim Brexler, Erlanger President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Our primary consideration is always providing exceptional patient care. This partnership between Erlanger and Med-Trans preserves that promise. The same LIFE FORCE crews that have provided clinical excellence for almost two decades will continue serving our region's patients and healthcare partners. The clinical staff will remain Erlanger employees, operating under the well-established protocols and respected medical direction. By partnering with Med-Trans, a top-quality and growth-oriented air medical provider with significant aviation-related resources, LIFE FORCE becomes even stronger."
Fred Buttrell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Med-Trans Corporation said, "Erlanger Health System along with their LIFE FORCE air medical program has done a tremendous job of building hospital relationships and servicing EMS systems and communities. LIFE FORCE is recognized as a leader in the air medical industry and the program will continue with that success under the alternative delivery model, which builds on the best capabilities of Erlanger and Med-Trans to deliver a top-quality service. Med-Trans has successfully partnered with leading healthcare providers under alternative delivery models since 1995, including through our Wings programs with Mountain States Health Alliance as well as our UT Lifestar program with the University of Tennessee Medical Center."
Erlanger Senior Vice President of Regional Operations and Business Development Roger Forgey said, "Before forming a partnership such as this, we needed assurance that services would continue in a seamless fashion. We are confident this goal will be met and that this is a unique and positive opportunity for Erlanger and our patients."
Forgey added, "Med-Trans shares LIFE FORCE's emphasis on safety and customer service and has a demonstrated ability to partner effectively with leading healthcare providers. As the region's only academic medical center and Level One Trauma Center, Erlanger has high expectations for a partnership such as this, and Med-Trans' reputation fits the bill."
As an example, Forgey pointed to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville and their partnership with Med-Trans for the UT Lifestar program, and stated, "UT has nothing but praise for Med-Trans. We certainly gave their recommendation due consideration."
Erlanger Health System is an 818 acute-care bed system comprised of five campuses serving residents living within a 150 mile radius of the flagship facility, Erlanger Baroness Campus, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The hospital was founded in 1891, and the system serves residents of Southeastern and Middle Tennessee, North Georgia, northeastern Alabama and southwestern North Carolina. Affiliated with the University of Tennessee College of Medicine Chattanooga, Erlanger is the only academic medical center, the only Level One Trauma Center, and T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital at Erlanger is the only pediatric healthcare center in the region. In fiscal year 2007, Erlanger had 29,047 inpatient admissions, 265,323 outpatient visits and treated over 26,571 surgical patients.
Med-Trans Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a leading provider of air ambulance programs in selected locations throughout the United States, focused on establishing partnerships with leading hospital systems, medical centers and EMS agencies to provide customized air medical programs through specialized delivery formats, including alternative delivery models, community based models or traditional hospital-based models. The company's extensive fleet of helicopters delivers teams of highly trained medical and flight professionals to patients requiring emergency medical care and transports the patient to the appropriate medical facility. The company has grown from four to 26 programs over six years, currently operating in nine states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Kentucky, South Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Med-Trans is a subsidiary of Air Medical Group Holdings, a portfolio company of Brockway Moran & Partners and MVP Capital Partners.
6/6/2008
DALLAS, TX - Med-Trans Corporation (Med-Trans) announced today that it has partnered with Erlanger Health System, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and assumed operations of its LIFE FORCE air medical service. Under the arrangement, Med-Trans acquired the program's two Bell 412 and one Bell 206 L4 helicopters, as well as other selected assets, and entered into a long-term agreement to provide aviation services for the program.
Erlanger's LIFE FORCE will continue the same medical direction, medical staffing and program management structure that it has provided since the program's founding in 1988. LIFE FORCE's 59 employees currently serve communities in Southeast and Middle Tennessee, North Georgia and portions of southwestern North Carolina and northeastern Alabama. Sixteen employees are moving to Med-Trans. LIFE FORCE aircraft are located in Sparta, Tennessee; Calhoun, Georgia; and at the Erlanger Baroness Campus in Chattanooga.
Jim Brexler, Erlanger President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "Our primary consideration is always providing exceptional patient care. This partnership between Erlanger and Med-Trans preserves that promise. The same LIFE FORCE crews that have provided clinical excellence for almost two decades will continue serving our region's patients and healthcare partners. The clinical staff will remain Erlanger employees, operating under the well-established protocols and respected medical direction. By partnering with Med-Trans, a top-quality and growth-oriented air medical provider with significant aviation-related resources, LIFE FORCE becomes even stronger."
Fred Buttrell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Med-Trans Corporation said, "Erlanger Health System along with their LIFE FORCE air medical program has done a tremendous job of building hospital relationships and servicing EMS systems and communities. LIFE FORCE is recognized as a leader in the air medical industry and the program will continue with that success under the alternative delivery model, which builds on the best capabilities of Erlanger and Med-Trans to deliver a top-quality service. Med-Trans has successfully partnered with leading healthcare providers under alternative delivery models since 1995, including through our Wings programs with Mountain States Health Alliance as well as our UT Lifestar program with the University of Tennessee Medical Center."
Erlanger Senior Vice President of Regional Operations and Business Development Roger Forgey said, "Before forming a partnership such as this, we needed assurance that services would continue in a seamless fashion. We are confident this goal will be met and that this is a unique and positive opportunity for Erlanger and our patients."
Forgey added, "Med-Trans shares LIFE FORCE's emphasis on safety and customer service and has a demonstrated ability to partner effectively with leading healthcare providers. As the region's only academic medical center and Level One Trauma Center, Erlanger has high expectations for a partnership such as this, and Med-Trans' reputation fits the bill."
As an example, Forgey pointed to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville and their partnership with Med-Trans for the UT Lifestar program, and stated, "UT has nothing but praise for Med-Trans. We certainly gave their recommendation due consideration."
Erlanger Health System is an 818 acute-care bed system comprised of five campuses serving residents living within a 150 mile radius of the flagship facility, Erlanger Baroness Campus, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The hospital was founded in 1891, and the system serves residents of Southeastern and Middle Tennessee, North Georgia, northeastern Alabama and southwestern North Carolina. Affiliated with the University of Tennessee College of Medicine Chattanooga, Erlanger is the only academic medical center, the only Level One Trauma Center, and T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital at Erlanger is the only pediatric healthcare center in the region. In fiscal year 2007, Erlanger had 29,047 inpatient admissions, 265,323 outpatient visits and treated over 26,571 surgical patients.
Med-Trans Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a leading provider of air ambulance programs in selected locations throughout the United States, focused on establishing partnerships with leading hospital systems, medical centers and EMS agencies to provide customized air medical programs through specialized delivery formats, including alternative delivery models, community based models or traditional hospital-based models. The company's extensive fleet of helicopters delivers teams of highly trained medical and flight professionals to patients requiring emergency medical care and transports the patient to the appropriate medical facility. The company has grown from four to 26 programs over six years, currently operating in nine states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Kentucky, South Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Med-Trans is a subsidiary of Air Medical Group Holdings, a portfolio company of Brockway Moran & Partners and MVP Capital Partners.