Banner Health and Global Medical Response have partnered to extend air ambulance services in Arizona through BannerAir, which launched on July 1. This will be the first hospital and air ambulance partnership in the Phoenix metro area in which Banner Health will use these services for hospital-to-hospital transports.
“This partnership between Global Medical Response and Banner Health, the largest health care organization in Arizona, could reduce emergency response time and speed up hospital-to-hospital transfers throughout the state,” said Richard Swedbergh, chief operating officer for Banner Health Emergency Transportation. “This unparalleled educational, clinical and logistical support will allow our team to operate as a new component of a comprehensive healthcare system.”
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Base stations will be placed throughout the state to ensure timely response in neighboring cities, including Casa Grande, Sun City West, Queen Creek, and Payson. In addition to the emergency helicopters currently available in Arizona, BannerAir™ adds four helicopters, all of which are designed to land in higher elevations and rougher terrains in the state. Aircraft, aviation crew, maintenance and operations certificates Med-Trans Corporation, a division of Global Medical Response.
“This joint venture is an extension to provide the best possible care for our patients, especially during emergency scenarios,” said Swedbergh, who emphasized that BannerAir will transport patients to Banner and non-Banner hospitals. “We will always do what is in the best interests of our patients, regardless of the facility. Our flight crews are empowered to make those decisions.”
Staff, medical equipment and medications onboard BannerAir helicopters make them equipped to handle nearly anyone with serious trauma injuries or a critical illness. A helicopter can be in flight within minutes of dispatch, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Onboard equipment allows the flight team to monitor and provide care for nearly any clinical condition. As an in-flight intensive care unit, Banner Air carries advanced ventilators, cardiac defibrillators, specialty trauma tools and other critical-care level equipment that can help treat patients with severe injuries or health risks.
As one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country, the team at Banner Health is committed to ensuring all Banner locations are a safe place for care. Headquartered in Phoenix, Banner Health owns and operates 28 acute-care hospitals and an array of other services, including Banner Imaging, Banner Telehealth, and Banner Urgent Care. Team members are dedicated to protecting the health and safety of patients, be it a routine checkup, elective surgery or an urgent health service. Waiting room and employee workstation layouts maintain proper social distancing; screenings are conducted at hospital entrances to verify that all employees and visitors are well; and, all Banner physicians are equipped to visit patients remotely. Learn more about Banner’s commitment to safety at www.bannerhealth.com/safecare.
