Martinsville, VA, June 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
AirLife Virginia, a division of Air Methods, the leading air medical service provider, announced today that the Martinsville base has received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS), making it the only air medical service in the area to receive the recognition. This recognition comes as the base celebrates one year of service and further underscores the team’s commitment to safety and the community.
CAMTS is a commission of non-profit organizations dedicated to improving the quality and safety of medical transport services; each of its 21 current member organizations select one representative to serve on the CAMTS Board of Directors. The accreditation process is voluntary for both air medical and ground transportation providers. However, in order to earn the accreditation, providers undergo extensive review of their patient care and safety process to demonstrate their ability to deliver high-quality service to patients.
AirLife Virginia was started to serve the Martinsville community and the surrounding area to ensure that citizens have access to air medical transports at all times. It is currently based at the Blue Ridge Airport. To date, AirLife Virginia has flown over 375 emergency hours, for a total of 283 transports (265 adult patients and 18 children).
Response times in for AirLife Virginia stand at an impressive 8 minutes and 45 seconds on average for on-the-scene responses, and 10 minutes and 30 seconds for facility-to-facility transportations.
“CAMTS accreditation is a major milestone for our program and is further proof of the quality of service we provide the region,” said Air Methods account executive Tony Raymond, RN, CFRN. “We continue to be committed to providing the best service for the residents of the Martinsville area. This accreditation shows that we are not only committed to patient care but to going above and beyond to make sure that every step we take is following the highest standard for service and safety.”
CAMTS certification is one of many steps Air Methods takes to ensure high quality care in the air. Air medical crews provide essential and lifesaving services throughout the country. During missions, highly trained medical teams care for patients with lifesaving interventions, from providing trauma care after an accident to administering clot-busting medications that must be given shortly after a major stroke to significantly improve outcomes. With the continued consolidation of hospitals and the trend towards centers with specialized heart or neurological care, the clinical support and speed of missions are critical to giving patients the best possible outcomes.
CAMTS is a peer review organization dedicated to improving patient care and transport safety by providing a dynamic accreditation process through the development of standards, education, and services that support our vision. Currently, across the country there are only 159 accredited services.
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About Air Methods
Air Methods (www.airmethods.com) is the leading air medical service, delivering lifesaving care to more than 70,000 people every year. With nearly 40 years of air medical experience, Air Methods is the preferred partner for hospitals and one of the largest community-based providers of air medical services. United Rotorcraft is the Company’s products division specializing in the design and manufacture of aeromedical and aerospace technology. Air Methods’ fleet of owned, leased or maintained aircraft features more than 450 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.