Greetings on behalf of West York Ambulance, Inc. It is our privilege to serve as the primary emergency medical services provider in both West York Borough and West Manchester Township.
The past year has seen some major changes in the EMS landscape in York County. With WellSpan-York Hospital ceasing its’ Advanced Life Support team, known as Medic 97, in January; services such as West York Ambulance began filling the gap. West York Ambulance now provides both Basic and Advanced Life Support on a 24 hour basis with a staff who is committed to providing quality service whenever and wherever you need it.
Unfortunately, decreasing reimbursements for emergency medical services are squeezing many large and small ambulance services to the limit. As the volunteer ranks diminish, most services must now depend on paid staff to cover the calls driving costs higher. Other costs, such as equipment, supplies and fuel, continue to increase annually. These increasing costs make it harder for smaller ambulance services with a low call volume to make ends meet. Many ambulance services ask their municipal government to make up the shortfall, but these local governments also have financial issues and are reluctant to raise taxes for emergency services support. So, what is the solution to this problem?
In one word, regionalization. Combining resources, and consolidating smaller ambulance organizations into larger ones, is the only model that can achieve significant cost savings as reimbursements shrink and costs escalate.
Thinking outside of the box as EMS providers is paramount to getting to sick and injured patients in the fastest, most efficient and economical manner. That means that the historical structure of ambulance service provision in York County will not survive…because it is not the best choice for you the patient.
To that end, West York Ambulance is actively engaged in conversations to spur this regionalization effort forward. We are proud of our history as an ambulance service, but understand the need for change to meet the modern marketplace. As these conversations continue, and new models are developed, we will keep you informed of our progress. Rest assured that our guiding principal as we engage in these conversations is you, the patient.
We thank you for your continued support of West York Ambulance. We look forward to continue providing high-quality emergency medical services well into the future.
Sincerely,
Rodney E. Drawbaugh
Chairman of the Board
