Enhancing Ambulance Service at MLHS

by Mary Rains

We bought a tire!

Merlin Thurk and Marian Viaasen sold lefse to Kaye Mickus at MLHS. A total of $1,200 was donated to the Transfer Ambulance Fund. “Everything we do helps,” Thurk said.

In emergency medicine, the “Golden Hour” is that window of opportunity for a critically ill or injured patient, heart attack or stroke victim. That short time frame is crucial to patient survival and outcomes.

Mille Lacs Health System Ambulance Service is planning to progress to adding part-time advanced life support (ALS) to their staffing. With the move, that “window” of opportunity will be augmented in a way that further assists people in the communities MLHS serves.

Currently the ambulance service is basic life support (BLS), which consists of all-volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians who are trained and prepared to deal with medical and traumatic emergencies. They administer basic medications, airway support, and all other basic life-saving measures. But some cases, such as cardiac problems, can’t be diagnosed until the patient arrives at the hospital, where further testing can confirm a problem. Advanced Life Support personnel can diagnose a heart attack, begin administering more advanced medications and advise the emergency department as to the need for transport to a higher level of care. “We feel it’s time to upgrade our licensure to ensure more rapid diagnosis in this type of situation, and enhance care in other cases of trauma and critical illness,” said Margaret Willis, Ambulance Director. “Plus, upgrading to having ALS staff in-house will also result in patients having quicker transports to major medical centers as needed.”

Although the North Memorial helicopter is an option for some emergency transfers, wind, fog, and other conditions can hamper flying. Also, it’s not appropriate for all patients.

MLHS Ambulance Service has applied to the State of Minnesota for part-time ALS licensure, which will complement the current BLS program. “The part-time designation is more feasible for our rural communities, due to our limited access to paramedic personnel,” said Willis. “Paramedics will be hired and a few of our EMTs will take further training to upgrade to that position. This is a realistic goal for us.”

What’s needed to complete the development is a transfer ambulance with upgraded equipment. Onamia and Isle will partner in the Advanced Life Support licensure. A paramedic will be on staff at the MLHS Emergency Room six days a week, 12 hours a day. A paramedic will also be on call at night. The paramedic will be used in conjunction with the current Basic Life Support Service, utilizing a “chase car” carrying ALS supplies to meet the ambulance. If the patient doesn’t require ALS interventions, the paramedic will return to the hospital. If the patient is in need of ALS care, the paramedic will stay with the ambulance and initiate advanced treatment while en route to the hospital. When an Advanced Life Support transfer is needed from the emergency department, it can more quickly be underway with the staffing of ALS personnel.

The Mille Lacs Area Health Foundation has begun a drive to raise funds for the new transfer ambulance.

The current transfer rig stationed in Onamia is a 1996 Ford, which has 150,000 miles on it. Though it has served the department well, with an additional expected increase of 150 more transfers a year, the Ambulance Department needs to be prepared to handle that increase. “By purchasing a new ambulance,” Willis noted, “we would be able to custom-design it to meet the unique ALS transfer needs.”

The Mille Lacs Area Health Foundation is raising funds for the $100,000 transfer ambulance. The Wine Tasting Event held this past fall at Izatys, and the upcoming Spring Fling and summer Golf Tournament will help toward the goal, of which $11,000 has been already raised. Mille Lacs Area Health Foundation Board Member Merlin Thurk and his wife, June, made lefse to sell at MLHS. An appeal letter to the friends of MLHS and Mille Lacs Area Health Foundation has gone out. MLHS Auxiliary has pledged a donation of $5,000.

“We are looking forward to upgrading to Advanced Life Support,” said Willis. “It will be an advancement of our emergency pre-hospital care to better serve our rural communities. This is an exciting time for our EMTs, and we’re proud to step up.”