Beacon Health System gets five new ambulances

SOUTH BEND Ind.—Beacon Health Transport is expanding its services to meet the needs of adult patients who require transportation between hospitals. Five new ambulances were introduced for the first time since 2012.

“We expect that in a short amount of time, our interfacility transports will increase tenfold, from about 600 per year to 6,000” according to Larry Tracy, Memorial Hospital President.

Prior to the latest addition, Beacon Health could only transport children, babies and pregnant women between facilities. Memorial Hospital invested in a new service which allows ambulances to bring ICU level services to a patient’s home. Additionally, a new adult critical ground transport service will also be added.

“It’s the highest qualified, most competent, customer friendly and efficient transport to and from a hospital that you can get,” said Rod Logan, Director of Air and Ground Transport for Beacon Health System.

Three of the five ambulances will operate 24 hours a day, while the other two will work through the busiest 12 hours of the day.

Beacon Health Transport is looking to fill the 60 new positions, adding to the current team of 82 team members.

The new ambulances began operating on a limited basis back in July, but as more team members are hired, more ambulances will be in service.

“Every day as we hire more people and get people trained into our qualifications, then we’ll unveil more as we go,” said Logan.

Adult patients can use the Beacon Transport services between any of the 35 hospitals in the area, instead of using a private service.

“We can do it faster and more efficiently than we previously could using just private services,” said Madison Betts, EMT.

Beacon Health Transport team members expressed that this new addition is crucial to cutting down time.

“It’s something that we were missing in the community,” said Liz Przybylski, Clinical Educator for Beacon Health Transport and Medflight. “Something that’s going to add value to transporting patients in South Bend and the Michiana area,” continued Przybylski.