Northwest MedStar, the preferred provider of critical care transport for Providence St. Patrick Hospital and Community Medical Center, took to the Montana skies on Wednesday, April 2 at 0700 from its base at the Missoula International Airport.

“Our community members and patients are receiving continuous critical care transport services from the local, experienced Missoula teams,” said Tim Donovan, MD, medical director of the Northwest MedStar Missoula air medical program. “We continue to provide quality care in an environment where patient and crew safety come first.”

On December 30, 2013, Providence St. Patrick Hospital, with input from Community Medical Center, entered into an agreement with Northwest MedStar to provide critical care transport services, previously provided by the Life Flight air ambulance program in Missoula.

Northwest MedStar is familiar with the Montana region, providing critical care transport to western Montana community members for 20 years. Northwest MedStar’s Communications Center has also provided dispatch services for the Life Flight air program since 2003.

“Northwest MedStar is committed to being fully integrated with health care providers in the region,” says Eveline Bisson, program director of Northwest MedStar.  “Given Montana’s recent influx of air medical providers, we’re pleased to have local medical teams known for collaborating with health care professionals to provide life-saving care.”

For increased transport flexibility for weather, terrain and patient need, Northwest MedStar provides critical care transport services with three modes of transportation: helicopter, airplane and critical care ground.

Northwest MedStar, a Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) accredited critical care transport program since 1996 and the air medical industry’s 2012 Program of the Year, provides high-quality care and transport to over 3,700 patients each year from its bases in Missoula, Mont., Spokane, TriCities, Moses Lake, Pullman and soon to be Brewster, Wash. Northwest MedStar’s primary service area covers western and central Montana, eastern and central Washington, northern Idaho and eastern Oregon. Northwest MedStar also provides patient transport to Seattle and other facilities throughout the United States and parts of Canada. All flights are conducted by, and operational control over all aircraft is exercised solely by Metro Aviation, Inc.