Chaired by MDH Interim CEO, Committee Reviewing Options for Continued Emergency Services
When former McDonough District Hospital CEO Bill Murdock announced that the hospital would no longer provide, nor fund, ambulance services for McDonough County earlier this year, it appeared the county could be without an ambulance provider. Following public outcry, along with discussions with county and city leaders, the hospital backed off its original decision and agreed to keep the contract in place through April 30, 2027 so a solution could be found.
Former Chief Nursing Officer Wayne Laramie, who was unexpectedly terminated by the MDH Board of Directors in May, had originally negotiated what hospital officials called a 'fiscally unsustainable' contract with Lifeguard, which led to the announcement in late March that the hospital was terminating the contract just months after it was signed. The revised agreement was put into place, and McDonough County Board Chair Eric Blakeley put a plan into motion to convene an ambulance service subcommittee to begin reviewing the possibility of the county taking over ambulance services for McDonough County if it came down to it.
The committee, which is now being chaired by MDH Interim CEO Wanda Foster, includes Blakeley; Mayor Mike Inman; Kaitlyn Damewood, MDH Emergency Services director; Kory Nichols, MDH EMS System coordinator; County Board member Travis Hiel, who also chairs the board's finance committee; and Patrick Osterman, vice president of business strategy for MDH. Blakeley said the first weekly meeting was held last week.
'We are meeting weekly so we can move forward with discussions in choosing possible vendors and the direction for future ambulance services for McDonough County,' Blakely explained. 'We have agreed to keep meeting weekly until we have made significant progress with the new ambulance service contract proposal. More details will be available in coming weeks on the future direction for 911 ambulance and transfer services. The county, city and MDH are working diligently and cooperatively to reach a beneficial resolution for all residents of our community.'
