By Suzanne Hoholik
The Columbus Dispatch
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ohio — MedFlight of Ohio, which transports critically ill and injured patients across the state, has started a new company to move patients needing basic and advanced life support around Franklin County.
The company, called MedCare Ambulance, started operating yesterday.
MedFlight is a 60 percent owner of MedCare. The other owner is Community Emergency Medical Service of Southfield, Mich., which already operates private ambulances in Franklin County.
The MedCare fleet will include six advanced life-support ambulances to transport patients among hospitals, and from nursing homes to hospitals, and to take patients to and from doctor’s appointments.
MedCare will not respond to 911 calls.
This is the seventh private ambulance company to be based in Columbus, according to the Ohio Medical Transportation Board website.
MedFlight board members from Ohio State University Medical Center, OhioHealth and Akron General Medical Center will oversee the new company.
These hospital systems, along with Mount Carmel Health System, provided MedFlight a combined $3.5 million in funding for the fiscal year ending June 2009, according to federal tax forms.
MedCare will lease space and equipment from MedFlight and share the medical helicopter company’s dispatch center, the press release said.
Copyright 2010 The Columbus Dispatch