WellSpan Health taking over Penn State Life Lion's EMS programs

Amber South, Chambersburg Public Opinion
·2 min read

WellSpan Health is set to take over managing emergency medical services in the Chambersburg area from Penn State Health, a move that officials say should streamline the health care process for patients bound for WellSpan facilities.

WellSpan EMS and Penn State Health Life Lion announced in a Monday news release they reached an agreement to transfer services effective later this summer.

“With this acquisition, patients in need in the Chambersburg area will experience a seamless coordination of care from WellSpan from the moment 911 is activated all the way through the treatment they receive at our top-rated hospitals across Franklin County,” said Dr. Michael Seim, senior vice president and chief quality officer, WellSpan Health. “These essential emergency ambulance and patient transport services are key in providing that exceptional emergency care.”

As part of the deal, Penn State Health Life Lion will transfer some equipment and assets to WellSpan EMS. The Life Lion medical helicopter will stay with Penn State, however.

"From Penn State Health’s perspective, I can say that the transition is limited to the ground ambulance service based in the Chambersburg area only," said Scott Gilbert, a spokesperson for Penn State Health. "It does not extend to Penn State Health Life Lion Critical Care Transport and its fleet of helicopters or the rest of Life Lion’s ground EMS services, which will continue to serve all of south central Pennsylvania."

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WellSpan has its own helicopters that will continue to respond to emergency medical situations, a service it calls WellFlight, according to Maggi Barton, a spokesperson for WellSpan.

In addition, about 25 employees with Penn State Health Life Lion in Chambersburg will be able to transfer to WellSpan, Barton said.

Nothing is to change for subscribers to Penn State Health's ambulance membership program, according to the release; memberships will be transferred to WellSpan EMS.

Penn State Health Life Lion began providing emergency medical services and ambulance services to the Chambersburg area in December 2020. Before that, West Shore Advanced Life Support served the community for 25 years.

Penn State Health Life Lion is among a number of emergency medical and advanced life support programs that WellSpan EMS has acquired over the last year.

Last fall WellSpan EMS officially acquired Waynesboro ALS, which served southern Franklin County since 1983.

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WellSpan struck similar agreements with EMS organizations in York and Lancaster counties.

WellSpan's agreement with Penn State Health Life Lion in Chambersburg does not affect Life Lion's services in about 60 other communities in the region.

WellSpan's presence in the community has grown rapidly since the regional healthcare system acquired Summit Health in 2018.

Amber South can be reached at asouth@publicopinionnews.com.

This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: WellSpan, Penn State Life Lion reach agreement on EMS services