From Deseret News archives:
Murray launches ambulance service
The city took over emergency ambulance response services from Gold Cross at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.
"It's just kind of an extension of the service we provide," said Fire Chief Gil Rodriguez. "It's about continuity of care — the same people will be there from the beginning to the end of a scene."
The change has been six years in the making. It follows in the footsteps of several other valley cities that have moved to a self-providing model.
Surprisingly, Gold Cross isn't too upset about losing its emergency response contract. The private company makes most of its money transporting patients between facilities anyway, city and company spokesmen agreed.
"We have cooperated and we're OK with it, and we wish them the best of luck," said Gold Cross spokesman Chris DeLaMare.
The upfront cost of buying three ambulances and hiring nine full-time paramedics is about $1.1 million, Rodriguez said. That provides three workers for each shift.
Murray hopes to make up the money in about a year. However, it will have to struggle with a historically low payment rate and the federal Medicare/Medicaid system in which cost for service significantly outweighs revenues received.
"We're not doing this for a positive revenue, though that would be great," Rodriguez said. "We're looking at it to break even."
The fire chief characterized the switch as part of the march of progress for fire departments around the state.
First, fire departments only fought fires, he explained. About 15 years ago, they started responding to medical calls. Now, every employee is an emergency medical technician, and the department's biggest job is medical care, he said.
"We're definitely a service for the city," Rodriguez explained. "This is just another extension of that."
The new system will save energy because fire engines won't have to make extra trips to the hospital just to pick up paramedics, who are required to stay in the ambulances with patients. The change will also decrease the chance of mistakes that occur when patients trade hands.
"We worked really hard with Gold Cross because there was not a problem with the service they were providing," said Murray chief of staff Jan Wells. "It just became an issue of where we really felt like we could provide better service." Gold Cross has promised to help in emergencies and will still do inter-facility transport.
Residents aren't likely to notice a major difference in ambulance response times, the chief said.
Murray's switch to city ambulance service leaves only South Salt Lake and Salt Lake City contracting with private providers. But like Murray, South Salt Lake is considering self-service.
Murray's new trucks will be deployed from the old fire station at 150 West and 5900 South.
E-mail: rpalmer@desnews.com
