During last week's board meeting, MMH Medical Director Dr. David Dreitlein spoke to the board about the benefits of a helicopter housed full-time at the hospital, which included quicker response and care time. The board showed favorable interest and would like a contract in place before the first of the year, Dreitlein said.
The hospital is currently looking at three different companies, TriState CareFlight, Omni Flight and St. Mary's CareFlight, that could provide an MMH-based helicopter, said Chief Financial Officer Connie Prewitt. However, staff is still in the preliminary research stages and have many unanswered questions.
 The Montrose Memorial Hospital helicopter pad sits unattended on the roof of the medical facility earlier this year. The hospital is considering a full-time care flight helicopter to be stationed year round. (William Woody / Daily Press File) Advertisement |
TriState and Omni were first to approach MMH about the concept. The hospital then involved St. Mary's because of their relationship, Prewitt said. MMH will meet with St. Mary's staff next week to discuss options.
Currently, if a MMH patient needs to be flown to another facility, St. Mary's CareFlight is called to do the transfer, said MMH spokeswoman Leann Tobin. The transfer costs nothing to MMH because CareFlight handles the operations and patient billing.
In November, MMH had one helicopter transfer to St. Mary's Hospital. October had six transfers, four to St. Mary's, one to Swedish and one to the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and in September, there was one transfer to Northern Colorado Medical Center, said Tobin. The hospital logs every flight transfer. Transfers have to be done when MMH doesn't have the specialized services necessary for the patient's condition, such as open heart or brain surgery.
"They (St. Mary's CareFlight) come in whenever there is a medical specialty that we can't do," Prewitt said. "Insurance is covered by their operations."
Areas such as the West End are serviced mostly by St. Mary's helicopter, Dreitlein said. There have been a few times that MMH has had to find a second transport, such as TriState out of Durango, because St. Mary's was unavailable. Housing a helicopter at MMH would provide that second option, he said. It could also make a difference between life and death in critical cases because it cuts down on the additional minutes it would take to get to Grand Junction.
Dreitlein said MMH is not "turf battling" with St. Mary's, but working with them.
Prewitt said MMH is still researching the regulatory issues, such as exactly where the helicopter would have to be housed. All options are at no financial risk to the hospital.
Beyond the benefit of a quicker response time, a permanent helicopter at MMH could expand its service area as patients would have an alternative to St. Mary's.
Dreitlein said he should have more details later this month.
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