This month EagleMed LLC air medical transport is observing its 10th anniversary of service from Joplin, Mo. EagleMed bases a twin-engine medically equipped Eurocopter AS355N in Joplin to support Freeman Health System serving Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma.

The helicopter is based at Freeman Hospital West, which has two helipads located outside Freeman Heart & Vascular Institute and a helipad with direct elevator access to state-of-the-art emergency room trauma bays.

“Freeman Health System’s role in our community is very clear—to provide quality, innovative lifesaving care. This mission is often made possible because of the experience and efficiency of EagleMed staff,” said Freeman President and Chief Executive Officer Paula Baker.

“Accidents occur without warning, and these past 10 years EagleMed has joined Freeman in saving countless individuals whose lives have been touched unexpectedly by such tragedy. We are proud of the care we have given alongside EagleMed staff and look forward to saving countless more lives,” she said.

“We have been privileged for the past 10 years to provide essential critical care air medical transport services in partnership with Freeman Health System and the surrounding communities,” said EagleMed President Larry Bugg. “It is a perfect relationship in that we share the common values of safety, world-class patient care, caring for each other and the patients and communities we serve.”

Based in Joplin, the fourth largest metropolitan area in Missouri, Freeman Health System is a 404-bed, three-hospital system providing comprehensive healthcare and behavioral health services to an area that includes more than 450,000 residents from Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

State-of-the-Art Equipment and Safety Focus

EagleMed’s air medical transport operations have entered the second level of the voluntary Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Safety Management System (SMS), demonstrating the company’s ongoing commitment to advancements in safety. By adopting SMS as a higher standard for safety in air medical transport services, EagleMed is working to enhance the well-being of patients and EagleMed crew members.

EagleMed maintains a fully staffed, technologically advanced, 24-hour communications center in Wichita. The company operates state-of-the-art aircraft equipment and modern, up-to-date clinical equipment. Every rotary wing crew member has capability with night vision goggles, which are the most proactive safety technology in the industry for night flight.

EagleMed’s senior leadership has a combined total of 150 years of aviation safety experience. The company’s employees received the 2010 President’s Award for safety from the Association of Air Medical Services, the 2011 Safety Award from the Helicopter Association International, were recognized by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS) in 2012 for a Best Practice in Just Culture, and received the National EMS Pilots Association 2012 Pilot of the Year Award

About EagleMed

With 29 locations in 10 states, EagleMed operates a fleet of 15 medically equipped Eurocopter AS350 helicopters, 15 Beechcraft King Air fixed-wing aircraft, and five rolling ambulances. The company has more than 400 highly trained employees. EagleMed is accredited by CAMTS and dedicates all facets of the company toward providing the highest quality patient care in the safest environment possible. For more information about EagleMed, go toflyeaglemed.com.

About AirMedCare

EagleMed is a membership-supported air ambulance service that is part of the AirMedCare Network. AirMedCare is America’s largest air medical membership network, providing the highest levels of care and access for its 1.5 million members. The AirMedCare Network combines the membership programs of four leading air ambulance operators: EagleMed, REACH, Air Evac Lifeteam and Med-Trans Corporation. For more information about memberships, visit joineaglemed.com.