Reid Health EMS: Service with a cost

Reid Health EMS lost nearly $1 million providing emergency medical service during 2023 in Wayne County.

Jacob Cox, the director of Reid’s EMS program, and Matthew Cain, director of Wayne County Emergency Management Agency, provided an update about EMS services during the Dec. 11 meeting of Wayne County’s commissioners. Cox said Reid billed patients and their insurance $2.3 million for transports and collected only $1.2 million. Overall, with total expenses of $2.4 million and net revenue of $1.5 million, Reid EMS lost $947,000 during 2023, and Reid is on pace for another loss this year.

At the close of 2024, Reid and the county end the third year of a five-year contract for Reid to provide EMS services throughout the county, except for Richmond Fire Department’s EMS territory. Reid began covering southwestern Wayne County in 2019, before bidding to cover the entire county beginning in 2022.

Reid has been paid $285,000 each of the first three years of the contract, with the fee rising to $304,950 next year and to $313,500 in 2026.

Reid also began providing Union County’s ambulance service in 2021, and it has ambulances at its Connersville hospital to provide transport services. The Liberty- and Connersville-based ambulances provide backup for Wayne County.

“Reid covers the territory exceptionally well and does not rely on mutual aid from other providers,” Cain said.

Contractually, Reid is required to arrive on scene within 15 minutes on 90% of its calls; however, it only uses just over half that time on average, needing 8 minutes, 20 seconds to arrive. Still, Cain said, that time shows how important well-trained volunteer fire departments are, because they often arrive on scene first.

When the county accepted bids for its three service areas in 2021, it provided approximate annual call totals of 420 in the northwestern district, 800 in the southwestern district and 1,250 in the east/central district. With time remaining in 2024, Reid’s call totals are 499 in the northwestern, 914 in the southwestern and 1,445 in the east/central.

Cox said the declining health of Wayne County’s population likely led to the call increase. Cain said that having Dr. Jennifer Bales, an emergency room physician and former EMS director, as the county’s new health officer could provide an opportunity to address health issues impacting ER visits.

Cain provided data that the most common EMS call this year is a generic sick person call, with 599. That’s followed by difficulty breathing at 358, falls at 256, chest pain at 251 and lift assist at 228.

Cox said he’s proud of the service the 72 EMS providers employed by Reid provide. Reid has begun a field training program for new hires, Cox said, that is providing positive results.

They have 13 in-service ambulances with eight on the road at any one time: five in Wayne County, two in Fayette County and one in Union County. Three of the Wayne County ambulances are based in Richmond, with one in Hagerstown and one in Cambridge City.

Three ambulances are being replaced this year at a truck cost of $320,000 and equipment cost of $150,000.

WUR withdrawal

A second resolution withdrawing Wayne County from Wayne Union Recycling was approved 3-0 by commissioners.

The withdrawal process, which disbands the regional solid waste district, required passage of two resolutions. Commissioner Jeff Plasterer met Dec. 6 with Union County’s commissioners to explain the withdrawal and future plans. He said the conversation was cordial.

Wayne County will work with Richmond Sanitary District and the Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District to expand recycling efforts in Wayne County. Plasterer said there’s a tentative agreement to use 2025 as a transition year to continue WUR’s activities then allow Union County residents access to Wayne County collection of items such as tires and electronic equipment.

The two counties will negotiate distribution of WUR’s assets.

Other actions

• A $401,250 bid from Smarrelli General Contractor of Richmond was accepted to rebuild the courthouse entrance plaza, remove brick walkways, install a sidewalk and replace 13 streetlights.

• During an unsafe building hearing, commissioners affirmed the order that two buildings at 4030 Arba Pike are unsafe. Owner Joseph Sofer has until March 12 to demolish the buildings and clean the property.

• Commissioners approved purchase of two new cot lifting systems for coroner’s vehicles. Wayne County Council appropriated money for the Stryker Power Load systems last week. The two systems and installation will cost $56,800.

• Commissioners opened 15 bids for a variety of highway department supplies and one bid from Thor Construction to install a new elevator in the courthouse.

• Commissioners approved a resolution authorizing transfer of 1 acre of Gateway Industrial Park land to Cambridge City for construction of a new water tower.