On Monday, Acadian Ambulance was selected by the Ouachita Council On Governments to provide service for Ouachita Parish. The 6-0 vote in favor of Acadian Ambulance will mean a change of providers on Jan. 1 , 2019.
After losing the vote, AMR issued the following statement:
AMR leaders presented to the Ouachita Council of Government (OCAG) today about the current request for proposal (RFP) process. They explained that because of flaws in the Parish’s RFP process, local citizens could see slower response times and additional costs in medical emergencies if they choose a company that cannot support the needs of Ouachita Parish. OCAG has decided to enter into contract negotiations with another ambulance provider.
“We care about the citizens of Ouachita Parish and thought it was important to identify the risks associated with bringing in a different ambulance service, one that doesn’t know this Parish,” said Tim Houghton, Operations Manager for AMR Ouachita Parish. “We have read the other proposals, and it is clear the awarded provider has offered slower response times, fewer ambulances to support emergency needs and higher costs per ambulance transport. Because of our long history, we know the community’s needs and can support them immediately without putting response times at risk.”
Houghton points to some flaws in the RFP process that allowed for issues in scoring that don’t reflect the accurate needs for timely responses and ensuring enough ambulances on the streets, without increasing the per citizen transport costs. “In our 40-year history in Ouachita Parish, AMR has never asked for subsidy. That’s because we know what it takes to maintain and run a quality ambulance service right here in this community – one that relies strictly on the billings we generate from patient transports.” AMR’s bid included more ambulance hours which means that AMR would not need to pay additional providers to supply ambulances in peak times, something the current proposal winner would have to do. With regards to the rates, each citizen using an ambulance could see an additional $500 per transport.
Local leaders will begin to negotiate the contract with the proposal winner. Houghton said if those negotiations reveal how the proposed decrease in ambulances at a higher transport cost could result in a system that might not be beneficial for Ouachita Parish citizens or government, AMR will be available to support the community.
“We care the future of the community and for our Ouachita Paramedics, EMTs and staff. For those employees who do not want to transition to the selected provider, we will allow them to transfer with seniority and benefits to other existing AMR locations.” Houghton stated.