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The highly-anticipated and long-awaited findings and recommendations of a privately-funded study of the region’s ambulance service are about to become public.
Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital, which commissioned and paid for the study, will host a meeting at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Ely Senior Center.
Representatives of Ely’s ambulance service, the non-profit group that operates it and local government officials are expected to be in attendance for the public meeting.
Dubbed “The Future of EMS,” the presentation will be made by SafeTech Solutions, the firm hired by the hospital to “complete a comprehensive examination of various ways to help regional emergency medical services improve stability in a complex and ever-changing industry.”
The results were shared with the EBCH board earlier this spring, and according to hospital officials Thursday’s presentation will
• Identify key observations; • Identify keys to ongoing stability;
• Offer recommendations for potential system designs;
• Identify financial considerations; • Weigh pros and cons of various models.
EBCH officials declined comment on specifics of the study, which sprung from months of discussions with local government officials and the Ely Area Ambulance Service, and in the wake of a 2023 operating loss earlier estimated at approximately $300,000.
Local governments have pumped funding into the EAAS to keep it afloat, and the service stands to get better than $265,000 in additional state funds as a result of legislation passed last month.
But those are likely to be only short-term fixes given ongoing challenges including lagging reimbursement rates and higher personnel costs.
Area and state officials have both called for the pursuit of more long-term solutions, and the study may aid in that effort.
Jodi Martin, marketing and communications team leader for EBCH, said Tuesday that the study considers patient needs, workforce recruitment and retention, current funding sources, and leadership.
“SafeTech Solutions are experts in the field of EMS, and they do this type of survey work across the country with the goal of helping create sustainable EMS solutions,” said Martin.
The goal of the study was to develop scenarios for sustainable EMS services in the Ely area and that will be among what is presented Thursday.
The meeting is expected to be the first of what could be several sessions on what might come next.
Hospital officials say the presentation “is not intended to be a time for discussion about the scenarios presented.”
Instead, the information will be presented to allow the various entities represented at the meeting to take time discuss and process the information independently.
The ambulance crisis across rural Minnesota has captured the attention of area legislators State Sen. Grand Hauschild (D-Hermantown) and State Rep. Roger Skraba (R-Ely), who were both present in Hoyt Lakes May 23 when Gov. Tim Walz came to the Iron Range to sign legislation that pumped about $30 million into local ambulance services.
Hauschild, Skraba and State Rep. Dave Lislegard (D-Aurora) also all took part in meetings convened by an EMS Task Force, which highlighted the challenges facing rural ambulance service.
Leaders have also engaged representatives at the federal level, including U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D), U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) and U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R).
