MCDH Ambulance Service retention clarified

6/1/06  (A joint press release from Heather Paulsen, Director, MCDH Business Development and Rich Jung, President, Mendocino Coast Ambulance Service)

As decided at the April MCDH Board meeting, the hospital will retain the Ambulance Service as an important part of the health care services it provides to the community for the foreseeable future.  Mendocino Coast Ambulance Service (MCAS) is pleased with this decision and that this vital emergency service will remain on the coast.

The hospital is seeking Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status which will provide the hospital with additional funds, thus making its continued association with the Ambulance Service more financially feasible. CAH will provide additional revenues for Medicare patients, for both inpatient and ambulance services.  The hospital believes that the Ambulance Service will need significant and continuing funding through CAH status and MCAS fundraising efforts to cover its costs. The subscription service can be honored by the hospital.

MCAS has been working hard to raise funds through subscription memberships and donations, and this will continue to play an important role in the ongoing success of the Ambulance Service.  MCAS and the Hospital Foundation will continue in fundraising efforts.  All funds raised for the Ambulance Service, whether through memberships or donations, will be earmarked and used solely to support the Ambulance Service.

Because there may be some confusion about MCAS’s status given that the Ambulance Service will remain hospital-based, all donors and members will receive a phone call or a letter as to what their wishes are regarding their donation.  MCAS memberships will be applicable to the hospital-based Ambulance Service.

MCAS will maintain its 501(c)3 non-profit status, and will continue its fundraising efforts with the goal of supplementing and expanding the Ambulance Service to include two fully staffed Advance Life Support ambulances, especially during peak demand times.  As a non-profit, MCAS will be able to continue its membership drive and seek donations and grants.

MCAS still needs community support, and is hoping to increase the involvement of other emergency responders, including providing First Responder training to local agencies.  Their relationship with MCDH will ensure that the community continues to be served by an excellent Ambulance Service with highly qualified emergency personnel and state-of-the-art equipment.

For more information, call Rich Jung at 937-1940 or Heather Paulsen at 961-4615.