REACH Air Medical Services and Cal-Ore Life Flight announce the merger of the two privately-held companies, creating the most comprehensive network of medical air and ground transportation in the Western United States.

REACH, with 13 helicopter bases and one airplane base, and Cal-Ore, with two airplane and two ground ambulance bases, have been collaborators in patient transport services for years. Their mutual commitments to safety, outstanding patient care and customer service bring two organizations together into a broader network.

According to REACH Chief Executive Officer, Jim Adams, “Cal-Ore is recognized for its superb airplane medical transports as well as its community-focused emergency and non-emergency ground ambulance services. REACH is known for its excellence in both helicopter and airplane emergency medical services. Both are known for exceptional tertiary level pediatric and neonatal care and general clinical excellence. This merger brings together two companies with identical values, community involvement and commitment to doing what is right for our patients. We are honored and excited by this collaboration.”

Taking a seat on the REACH Medical Holdings, LLC board of directors, Dan Brattain, President & CEO of Cal-Ore Life Flight says of the merger, “The combined companies will provide enhanced emergency and critical care transport services to our customers through the integration of ground, airplane, and helicopter services. This comprehensive offering will be managed through REACH’s First Call regional referral center. The merger will help solidify the companies’ strong growth opportunities with key healthcare systems, hospitals, and communities. To say this is important to us and the communities we serve would be an understatement.”

Both companies have experienced steady and strategic growth in recent years. REACH began providing air ambulance services with a single helicopter and base of operations in California in1987 and now employs more than 300 people from 24/7 bases located throughout California, Oregon and Texas. Both are also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS).

Cal-Ore operates eight ground ambulances, seven fixed-wing air ambulances and a remote scene support helicopter, as well as a facility providing aviation products. Cal-Ore has a staff of over 70 dedicated employees. Cal-Ore’s bases are located in Gold Beach and Brookings, OR and Eureka and Crescent City, CA.

The merger, in addition to providing a stronger network of integrated services, is also in response to the dynamic healthcare landscape. “In order to meet the changing needs and demands of healthcare reform, hospitals, healthcare organizations and insurance companies are looking for ways to streamline operations and expenses both within and outside of the hospital. The merger allows our healthcare partners the ability work with a single high-quality, patient-focused and complete patient transport service. We will be able to assist them in meeting their fiscal demands and quality of care expectations,” says REACH’s Adams.

Cal-Ore has long served the rural southern Oregon and northern California communities. “As rural hospitals grapple with growing demands coupled with limited funding, reimbursement and staff,” says Brattain, “we believe our services will be extremely important and valuable in helping these hospitals care for critically ill and/or injured patients. In the bigger picture,” Brattain continues, “while national and state economic issues may be stabilizing, our ability to streamline costs while maintaining and/or enhancing services, is critically important. We believe the merging of our two companies helps to meet all these objectives.”

Some of Cal-Ore’s current general and administrative functions will be transitioned to REACH. These include financial services, human resources, risk management, business development and referral management. REACH will also provide increased clinical training and marketing support. Both organizations offer ambulance membership programs that accept health insurance reimbursement as payment for services provided.

The merger became effective November 30, 2011.

REACH Air Medical Services, headquartered in Santa Rosa, California, supports operations in Concord, Imperial, Lakeport, Marysville, Redding, Sacramento, Stockton, Thermal, Upland and Santa Rosa, California as well as Corvallis, Oregon, and in Houston and San Antonio, Texas. REACH provides air medical transport services utilizing rotor-wing (helicopter) and fixed-wing (airplane) aircraft regionally and nationally and has performed more than 55,000 air ambulance missions since its inception in 1987. REACH offers a membership program, REACH for Life; a primary benefit of membership is no out-of-pocket expenses when members are transported by REACH within the areas served. REACH has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS) since 1998. www.REACHair.com

Cal-Ore Life Flight, an award-winning leader in medical transportation, provides prompt, caring and dependable ground and air transportation for people in medical emergencies. Cal-Ore Life Flight offers full service, Advanced Life Support (ALS), 24 hour, emergency ground and air transport. Cal-Ore’s seven aircraft transport patients to destinations throughout California, Oregon and bordering states as authorized by the sending physician. Cal-Ore’s eight ALS ambulances respond to more than 3,000 9-1-1 calls annually. Over the past decade, Cal-Ore has responded to over 30,000 air and ground ambulance calls and has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS). Cal-Ore offers a combined air and ground membership program providing a substantial cost savings on the price of any ground or air ambulance transport through acceptance of healthcare insurance reimbursement as payment in full. www.cal-ore.com