Salt Lake City, UT – In a significant move to address the pressing challenges facing the air medical industry, leaders from various air medical companies gathered for a pivotal forum. This event, organized by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), brought together executives from small, medium, and large programs to foster collaboration, share best practices, and brainstorm innovative solutions to strengthen the industry.
The forum, led by Jana Williams, President and CEO of AAMS, provided a unique platform for executives to engage in open and organic conversations about the industry's most critical issues. Topics discussed included reimbursement and revenue cycle challenges, staffing pressures, safety concerns, technological advancements, legal and liability issues, and the importance of culture and employee engagement.
"We started this conversation about a year ago with the goal of driving greater value for executive leaders in the air medical industry," said Jana Williams. "We wanted to create a forum where leaders could share their experiences and ideas in a safe environment, and continue that dialogue even after the event. The turnout and active participation today show how important these discussions are to our industry."
The forum began by polling the leaders to understand what some of their top priorities were and safety quickly rose to the top as the number one focus for the leaders at the forum. Joe Kellner, CEO, LifeFlight of Maine commented that “it's the safety of the crews and the safety of our patients I think about all (of) the time.” Sally Veith, Executive Director of the Air Medical Operators Association, AMOA, praised the leaders in the room for making this a focus of the forum, noting the importance of collaboration among AMOA members to enhance the safe operation of aircraft. "Our association focuses on safety, and we have enjoyed real collaboration among our members. We are continually trying to increase safety and set the bar higher for ourselves," she said.
Technological advancements were a key focus, particularly in enhancing safety. Discussions centered on reducing distractions for crews to ensure they can concentrate on flying safe missions. Randy Strozyk, President of the Board of Directors at the Ambulance Association of America, highlighted the importance of technological safety monitors, such as seatbelt reminders and eye monitoring cameras, to keep ground crews safe while driving. Additionally, the forum emphasized the continuous integration of new technologies to improve safety and efficiency. "Skyryse is a company that's trying to change the way that the flight control system inside of your aircraft works, providing technology that we all think of as autopilot systems," shared Jason Quisling, Senior Vice President of Flight Operations with Air Methods.
The forum also addressed the critical issue of staffing, particularly the shortage of qualified helicopter pilots. Leaders discussed the need for competitive wages, employee branding, and innovative programs to attract and retain talent. "We are implementing a program with local schools in Columbus, Mississippi called Flight Path 9 to support our helicopter final assembly line, engaging students and putting them into a 10-week program to give them the basics to enter our workforce and learn critical skills to build and maintain helicopters," said Treg Manning, VP of North American Sales at Airbus Helicopters.
A significant portion of the forum was dedicated to discussing mental health and the importance of fostering a positive culture within the industry. Leaders emphasized the need for emotional intelligence, communication, and trust to build a supportive work environment. "We have a huge support team that is very active, but at the end of the day, it's about figuring out what each individual needs and speaking one-on-one with staff," shared panelist Maura Huges, CEO, Boston MedFlight. The forum highlighted various initiatives aimed at improving mental health and employee engagement, such as implementing employee resource groups and voluntary benefit packages. Many leaders agreed that efforts such as these are crucial in retaining staff and ensuring their well-being.
The forum concluded with a call to action for continued collaboration and innovation. "There is a lot of collective wisdom in this room, and by working together, we can make a positive impact on the industry," said JaeLynn Williams, CEO of Air Methods.
