The Center for Patient Safety (CPS) has landed its first national contract from Air Evac Lifeteam, a subsidiary of Air Medical Group Holdings, announced Becky Miller, executive director, CPS. Air Evac Lifeteam, an air ambulance company, currently has 115 bases in 15 states. The three-year participation agreement was executed on April 1, 2014.

“By participating with CPS, Air Evac is clearly indicating its commitment to improving patient safety and quality in pre-hospital care,” Miller said. “PSO participation affords the benefit of protected sharing and learning with other EMS providers, and regional collaboration with many other healthcare providers. We are thrilled to be working with them.”

Additionally, Air Evac will participate in the Center’s EMS PSO Advisory Committee, as well as the Data Development Committee for valuable input and expertise as the Center continues to modify and expand the EMS database.
“We are very excited and honored to have additional air medical expertise to contribute to our work with EMS,” said Carol Hafley, assistant director for CPS and director of the EMS business line. “They provide a very broad-based view of patient safety issues in the air medical industry with their national presence.”
“For Air Evac Lifeteam, participating with CPS was an easy choice,” said Jennifer Fletcher, director of patient care services for Air Evac. “CPS has the most experience working with emergency medical services and is the only PSO with an established event reporting system specific for EMS.”

CPS was one of the first 10 organizations in the nation to be certified as a PSO, and the first in the nation to provide emergency medical service (EMS) PSO services. In collaboration with its EMS participants, CPS has developed a data system specific for capturing the details of medical errors that occur in EMS care environments. More than 100 EMS services participate in the Center’s PSO, with more than 100 events collected from EMS providers in the database. Air Evac joins the Center as its second exclusive air medical provider. Kansas City, Mo.-based Lifeflight Eagle has been a participant since December 2012.

About CPS:

The Center for Patient Safety is a private, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to fostering change throughout the nation’s healthcare delivery systems and across the continuum of care. The Center’s vision is “a healthcare environment safe for all patients and healthcare providers, in all processes, all the time.” The Missouri Hospital Association (MHA), the Missouri State Medical Association (MSMA) and Primaris established CPS in response to recommendations from the Governor’s Commission for Patient Safety. The Center’s mission is “to be a leader in providing solutions and resources to improve patient safety and the quality of healthcare delivery.”

About Air Evac:

Air Evac Lifeteam, an air medical service, provides rapid access to definitive health care for those who live in medically underserved areas. Flight crews, consisting of a pilot, flight nurse and flight paramedic, are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to the scene of an emergency, or provide transportation between medical facilities. Air Evac Lifeteam currently operates 115 bases in 15 states.