In this Sundays The Republic they are reporting that, two of the four Columbus Regional Hospital ambulances and their crews are moving into new homes at city buildings.
The moves are an effort to improve response times and service while lowering the amounts paid by the city and county. Columbus Regional Hospital has been serving the community since 2006 and their six-year contract expired at the end of 2012. City and county officials began searching last summer for a new ambulance provider.
After a long search, the city and county approved a new contract with the hospital. The new contract was signed in late December 2012.
The approved plan is the hospital's flexible model, which allows it to adjust the number of ambulances available according to busy and slow times.
Under the new contract, the hospital will have four ambulances equipped with advanced life support available at all times. Two of the ambulances will stay at their current locations. One will remain at the Central Avenue and 27th Street CRH depot, the other will be stationed at the Columbus Township Fire Rescue station on Repp Drive.
Ultimately, here is how it will work. The hospital will take a $300,000 subsidy from the county for the first year of the four year contract, but will then be able to operate with no taxpayer funding after that, as it will be making up for revenue by making non-emergency patient transport runs.
Several private companies also put in bids for ambulance service, including SEALS and Rural Metro.
What do you think about the changes to CRH and the new contract?
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