UTMC, Mercy to end Life Flight agreement - WFSB 3 Connecticut

For more than two decades, the Mercy Health System and the University of Toledo Medical Center have shared Life Flight helicopters.

The two announced the decision to end the partnership Thursday.

According to UTMC, it pays mercy just over $1 million per year to use the Life Flight fleet. The five helicopters are part of the fleet that transports patients in an emergency trauma situation to a hospital.

The contract was set to expire at the end of the month, but an extension's been reached for service through July first.

In 2013, UTMC says there were more than 13-hundred trauma patients. The hospital says 161 of those were brought in via helicopter, either directly from a scene or from a different hospital.

UTMC adds both sides are still discussing future options.

Mercy released the following statement on the matter:

As Mercy transforms our care delivery model to respond to the changing healthcare industry, we have been evaluating key services and programs, including our Critical Care Transportation Network, which includes Life Flight and Mobile Life. As part of that evaluation, Mercy has elected to let the cooperative critical care transportation agreement with the University of Toledo expire naturally on Mar. 31, 2014. As we value our relationship with UT, we did offer them a 90-day extension to July 1 and they have agreed. Patients will see no change to the Life Flight service, as we will continue to transport patients to all hospitals in the region based on request from physicians and EMS providers as we have done for the past 35 years.

We have enjoyed a positive relationship with UT for many years and remain committed to working with them in training medical students and residents.

UTMC released the below statement:

UTMC pays Mercy around $1.3 million per year for the use of the life flight fleet, including the 5 helicopters.  The contract is being allowed to expire on March 31st, but an extension has been reached for service through July 1st.  UTMC says both sides are still discussing future options.

In 2013, UTMC says 1,306 trauma patients.  161 of those patients were brought in via helicopter, either directly from a scene or from a different hospital.

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