EMS provider announces local expansion

A Montgomery County-based ambulance service has announced plans to set up shop in Greencastle.

A Monday Facebook post from STAR Ambulance service said “Today STAR is officially announcing that we will be opening a new facility in Greencastle.”

It is unclear what the exact nature of the new station will be, but the statement goes on to say that the station is expected to be open and operational in March. STAR’s plan is to provide both basic and advanced life support services.

What effect this will have on local ambulance services is unknown at this time. Putnam County Operation Life (OL) Executive Director E.J. Claflin had no comment on the matter.

Currently under contract with the Putnam County Commissioners, OL will continue to provide 911 service to the county through at least the end of 2017.

Roachdale-based PMH Ambulance partners with OL to provide service to the northern portion of Putnam County.

At the end of 2017, STAR would be eligible to bid on providing service to the county.

For now, it is not clear what role STAR will play in Putnam County. A message was left with the service’s EMS director late Tuesday afternoon.

A dispute between Operation Life and Putnam Coutny Hospital (PCH) erupted late in 2016 when OL prioritized emergency 911 calls over a requested interfacility transfer for the hospital.

Whether or not STAR’s move to Greencastle has anything to do with PCH remains an open question.

Founded in 1982 in Crawfordsville, Statewide Transfer Ambulance and Rescue has grown to include stations in Indianapolis and Lafayette.

The Greencastle facility will be its fourth location.

The announcement of the new STAR station comes at a time of uncertainty for local ambulance service providers. Faced with declining reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid, administrators such as Claflin are facing news challenges to making ends meet.

A portion of the annual budget for Operation Life comes from the county, with $80,000 annually drawn from the county hazardous waste fund.

County Commissioner Rick Woodall said in December that he attended a meeting of county commissioners from around the state, and asked fellow commissioners how much of the county budget went toward emergency medical service.

Answers ranged from none at all to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Woodall said that Clinton County, which compares fairly well to Putnam as a rural county with the small city (Frankfort) at the center, pays more than $800,000.