Negotiations will address EMS crisis
Butler County Emergency Services received the green light from county commissioners to negotiate with Independence Health System for help with EMS staffing issues at a meeting Wednesday, Feb. 14.
While a contract has not yet been drawn up, emergency service director Steve Bicehouse said the potential collaboration could be a solution to longer ambulance response times and short staff.
“It’s not just a county problem, it’s a commonwealth problem,” he said Wednesday. “Services are going out of their area, sometimes out of county.”
The proposed negotiations with Independence Health System could involve utilizing staff members from Butler Memorial Hospital’s ER to go out on ambulance calls.
According to Bicehouse, EMS services in the northern part of the county have an especially difficult time staffing and responding to calls.
“The intent is to offer it to services in need,” Bicehouse said.
The county commissioners voted to proceed with negotiations about the potential contract. Bicehouse said if the venture is successful, the contract would be presented to the commissioners at a public meeting for consideration.
Melissa Forster, marketing & communications specialist with Butler Memorial, said “We are engaged with the commissioners and leadership in efforts to provide adequate EMS services in the communities we serve.”
