Changes - HealthNet Aeromedical Services

A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS
OF HEALTHNET AEROMEDICAL SERVICES, INC.
Safety, Quality & Experience Count
WINTER // 2012
IN THIS ISSUE:
Changes
HealthNet in Print
Clinical Perspective
HealthNet’s 25th Anniversary
Celebrations
HealthNet Awards
Changes
By Chip Sovick,
HealthNet Former President/CEO
Where have the 22 years gone?
I’ve penned many articles for this
publication during my tenure with
HealthNet and have always enjoyed the
opportunity to share with you exciting new projects and
innovations here at HealthNet. Today, I write to say
goodbye. I’m sad to leave HealthNet after 22+ years, but
am excited to take on new challenges and opportunities.
It has been a tremendous opportunity for me personally
that has allowed me to grow professionally in an industry
that I really enjoy.
I’m excited for HealthNet and its future under the
interim leadership of Clinton Burley. Many of you know
Clinton as the long-time manager of our Cabell
Huntington operations. He is a great leader and, more
importantly, a caring manager who will serve HealthNet
well. I can assure you that he will continue to ensure that
our HealthNet team of professionals always will strive to
provide quality patient care and do it safely. That has
been our overreaching philosophy, and I’m certain that
will continue well into the future.
It has been a pleasure to be associated with the entire
HealthNet Team and those of you in the field. I never
cease to be amazed at the quality of care provided and
the true compassion exhibited in your work. I wish
everyone all the best.
Chip
By Clinton Burley,
HealthNet Interim President/CEO
Twenty-five years ago, a small group
of West Virginia healthcare leaders
gathered with a vision for development
of a statewide, non-profit air medical
helicopter program. Its foundation was to be safety,
quality patient care and strong ties to leading tertiary
care centers. From this vision, HealthNet Aeromedical
Services took flight. Now, a quarter century and nearly
70,000 safe patient transports later, we celebrate our
past and plan for our future.
Due in large part to Chip Sovick’s steady leadership,
HealthNet has grown from those humble beginnings into
a large, nationally-recognized critical care transport
service. With his resignation to pursue a high level
opportunity in the medical helicopter industry,
HealthNet’s Board of Directors offered me the opportunity
to assume the role of President and CEO on an interim
basis. I am simultaneously humbled by their confidence
in me and honored to have the opportunity to lead this
superb organization.
Every day, HealthNet team members from multiple
disciplines work together to provide cutting edge
transport medicine to Appalachia. My role is to support
them – to work alongside them to allow for safety,
stability, growth and continued excellence. You are a big
part of that equation, for through your trust in HealthNet,
we continue to do what we do best: meet the critical care
needs of our neighbors when they need us most. I
appreciate and value your support and confidence in us
as we continue that mission.
Clinton
HealthNet in print
West Virginia Executive
HealthNet Aeromedical Services was featured in the Summer
2011 “Salute to Service” issue of West Virginia Executive. The
issue honored the service men and women of West Virginia. The
article focused on how Dan Shelford, an RN and Corporate
Compliance Officer/Risk Manager/Clinical Educator at
Summersville Regional Medical Center, saved the life of a
stranger, Justin Tyree, with the assistance of HealthNet 2.
HealthNet
Anniversary Activities
Cabell Huntington Hospital celebrated HealthNet’s
25th anniversary with lots of food and a special
25th anniversary logo cake August 26, 2011,
in Huntington, W.Va.
Bridges Magazine
HealthNet Aeromedical Services also was featured in the
Summer/Fall.11 issue of Bridges magazine. The story featured
Rico and Lisa Caruso, HealthNet husband and wife pilots.
Go to bridgesmag.com and look for issue 28 to read the full story.
Clinical Perspective:
Advanced Stroke Life Support
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death and permanent disability
throughout the areas in which we serve. Strokes are a major part of that disease
category. It is estimated that 80 percent of all strokes are ischemic while the
remaining 20 percent are hemorrhagic. As tertiary stroke facilities become
accredited and focus on rapid identification and early interventions, we must
move in a similar direction as an emergency medical provider. Familiarity with
stroke symptoms and evolvement requires each of us to examine our training
and preparation for patient care. Detailed history, assessment and baseline
glucose evaluation are critical components to initial stroke care. Utilization of
the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (CPSS) or the National Institute of Health
(NIH) Stroke Scale is relevant to either EMS or hospital staff. These two scales
may be difficult to relate from one service to another. The Advanced Stroke Life
Support (ASLS) course, offers stroke education for both EMS and hospital care
staff. The course developed the Miami Emergency Neurologic Deficit (MEND)
exam that can be relayed accurately from one level of care provider to another.
HealthNet is proud to be involved in stroke education throughout our service
area. Medical/Stroke symptom scene flights are increasingly common in
patients that may not have rapid access to a tertiary stroke center. The
utilization of helicopters certainly minimizes transport time and can help get the
patient evaluated and managed within the recommended three-hour window
from onset of symptoms in an ischemic stroke. For more information regarding
stroke care, education or transport, contact a base manager or flight team leader
at a HealthNet base in your service area.
– Brett Wellman, RN, NREMT-P
Flight Nurse, HealthNet 3
HealthNet 4 / MedFlight 7 (operated
in partnership with MedFlight of
Ohio) celebrated its fifth
anniversary along with HealthNet’s
25th anniversary October 22, 2011,
in Lucasville, Ohio.
HealthNet Awards
Night Vision Award
HealthNet Aeromedical Services
Partner Profile
HealthNet has been busy racking up awards lately. Here we share four that have been
presented to HealthNet recently.
Operator Safety Award for 2010, HealthNet Aeromedical Services
Dear Mr. Sovick:
It gives me great pleasure to inform
you that HealthNet Aeromedical Services
has qualified for Helicopter Association
International's (HAI] Operator Safety
Award for the year 2010. In recognition of
HealthNet Aeromedical Services'
outstanding safety record of 58,000 plus
hours of flight without an accident since
1986, enclosed please find a 2010
medallion to be placed on your earned HAI
Operator Safety Award plaque.
You can take great pride in the fact that
you have met the requirements for this
award. Your achievement not only reflects
favorably upon your organization but HAI
members and the entire international
helicopter community as well.
Because of your efforts to reduce
accident risk, the helicopter industry is
better prepared to meet the challenges
currently before us and those of the
future.
On behalf of HAI's Board of Directors,
the staff, and myself, I want to extend our
congratulations and appreciation for your
focus on safety.
Sincerely,
Matthew S. Zuccaro, President
(L to R) Becky Oakley, Doug Douglas,
Christy Miller, Chip Sovick, Kay Eliason
and Dave Cross
Beating the Odds Award, HealthNet 4 / MedFlight 7
Terry Ratliff, Flight Nurse, Chris Wallace, Pilot, and Veronica
Neale, Flight Paramedic, won the "Beating the Odds" award at the
Scioto County EMS appreciation dinner in May. The trio was
honored for a call they took in September of 2010 saving the life
of a car accident victim who was partially ejected after her car
flipped six times. They were recognized in conjunction with
ground crews from Life Ambulance, Able Ambulance and Valley
Township Fire Department.
HealthNet 4 / MedFlight 7 Operated in partnership with MedFlight of Ohio
(L to R) Terry Ratliff, Chris Wallace
and Veronica Neale
Randolph County, W. Va.
Clinton Burley, center, accepting the award
Aviation Specialties Unlimited (ASU)
honored the first Night Vision Award
winners at an awards ceremony in
St. Louis during the Air Medical Transport
Conference October 24, 2011. Winners
were selected for a five-year service
award, 10-year service award,
Community Awareness Award,
Community Advancement Award and
Mark of Excellence Award.
“As an early adopter of night vision
technology, we appreciate that ASU has
chosen to recognize our program,” said
Clinton Burley, HealthNet Interim
President and CEO. “Night vision goggles
positively impact the safety paradigm of
our program. We are committed to the
continued use of life-saving technology.”
Randolph County EMS was
founded in February 1969. Three
stations are located throughout the
county, which has the city of Elkins,
W.Va., as its county seat and a
population of approximately 29,000
residents.
Station One, located in Elkins, is
staffed 24/7 with two ALS crews.
Station Two, in Mill Creek, W.Va., is
staffed 24/7 with an ALS crew four
days a week and with a BLS crew two
days a week. Day seven alternates
between ALS or BLS. Station Three,
which is in Harman, W.Va, is
volunteer-based with either an ALS or
BLS crew.
Randolph County currently has 23
full-time employees including a
supervisor, two billing clerks, nine
paramedics, nine EMT-Bs, two
CPR/first aid drivers and 25 parttime paid employees consisting of
paramedics and EMT-Bs.
Randolph County offers 911
response and interfacility transports
24/7. Approximately 5,800 calls are
made each year including mutual aid
calls with 10 fire departments
throughout the Randolph County
area.
When in need of helicopter
transport, HealthNet Aeromedical
provides mutual aid for Randolph
County. HealthNet also provides LZ
classes to Randolph County and is
proud to partner during seminars,
classes and special events.
HEALTHNET AEROMEDICAL SERVICES, INC.
110 WYOMING STREET, SUITE 101
CHARLESTON, WV 25302
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