Regular Membership Meeting July 20, 1998
Saint Joesph Hospital, Lexington Kentucky

Posted: 07.21.98
Last updated: 01.29.08

Hosted By CareFlight and Lifenet

Unapproved minutes posted for review

Executive Board Attendees:

Present

John Isfort, President

Jodi Hignite, Vice President

Dennis Kiper, Vice President

George Glessner, Secretary

Absent

Walter Middleton, Treasurer

Programs Represented:

Angel Wings

CareFlight

LifeFlight

Lifenet

Statcare

UK Air Medical Services

Attendees:

Active Members

Julia Fultz

Laura Otte

Jill Johnson

John Hultgren

Pam Talbert

Mike Hatweck

Cathy Spry

 Visitors & Guests

Robert Calhoun

Gary Stromberg

Steve Shepherd

Michael Paul

 

Call To Order:

Meeting Called to Order with a quorum present at 7:30pm local time

Approval of Minutes:

March Meeting Minutes

The March 1998 meeting minutes were not available at this meeting. They will be made available at the September meeting.

There was not a quorum in Evansville at the May meeting. There were no minutes to present.

Executive Reports:

President's Report: John Isfort

Safety- A meeting has been scheduled for July 27, 1998 to script the Safety Video. Each program will have input as well as video footage. I will schedule a meeting with each program to facilitate this project.

Safety Congress Seminar - I would like to convene a Safety Congress or seminar for November or December. I believe that an annual Safety collaboration would benefit all programs, especially in light of the recent accidents.

Newsletter - Due to recent catastrophic events (lightening killed my computer) the newsletter will be delayed. I hope to see this to fruition by August 1, 1998. The executive committee has set the editorial calendar for the remainder of this year and 1999.

National Update - Per Dawn Mancuso, AAMS Executive Director.

  • HCFA Reimbursement Issue: Negotiations continue with HCFA. AAMS now has an official representative to conduct negotiations. More information will be forthcoming.
  • FAA Heliport Design: Negotiations continue with the FAA, NEMSPA, and AAMS (see FAA AC 150/5390-2B).
  • AMTC: Brochures to be mailed soon.

 

Action Taken:

A motion was made by mike Hartweck, seconded by Rick Nickoson, to accept the Presidents report as read.

Motion Carried Unanimously.

 

Secretary's Report: George Glessner

No Report

 

Vice President's Report: Dennis Kiper

No Report

 

Vice President's Report: Jodi Hignite

No Report

 

Treasurer's Report: Walter Middleton

No Report

Report from Robert Calhoun on CON for Air Medical Services

Robert Calhoun was asked to attend the meeting to report on the recent Advisory Opinion, which was in response to a lawsuit brought by Lifenet. The opinion stated that as of 1994, when a new federal law was inacted to protect Air Carriers from undo local regulation restricting their ability to set pricing, provide service or routes, that the Commonwealth of Kentucky can no longer require a State CON to operate an Air Ambulance in Ky. This opinion was published in the June 18, 1998 CON Newsletter and will become practice if a hearing had not been requested by July 18, 1998. KyAAMS did request such a hearing in order to clarify the issue of the definition of services. This change in practice in Ky. may also mean that Ky. does not have a right to regulate air ambulances since the authority is tied to the CON. Dr. Leach, Secretary of Health declined to ask for an advisory opinion on this issue stating that they will continue to regulate until challenged in court. The geographic limitations to service area that were in effect before based on the CON, are no longer in effect.

 

No Action Taken

Committee Reports:

Education Committee: Jill Johnson

 

Safety Committee: Walt Middleton

The LZ Safety video will begin production at the end of next week.

 

Research Committee: Julia Fultz

Julia is in need of members. She is currently a committee of one. Anyone interested, please contact her at UK Air Medical. Or by email at jhfultz%taonode@mvs.hosp.uky.edu.

 

Communications Committee: Kim Phelps

A NAACS course will be held in Charleston SC August 28 - 29, 1998. There are still opening s for participants.

 

Information Management Committee: John Hultgren

Web page is up and running. Review it and sent any suggestions to john Hultgren at Statcare or by email at john@hultgren.org.

We will soon be able to sell logo items on the website using a credit card.

Wings Award:

Nomination forms will be faxed to all of the programs this week. The deadline for submission is August 15, 1998. John Hultgren will make sure that the award presentation is on the agenda for the awards banquet.

Memorial Wings:

Cathy Spry reported that they had received a shipment. Wings had been sent to the programs that had experienced accidents recently and an additional 40 had been sold across the country. They are in the process of ordering 300 more wings for sale at $7.00/each.

Old Business

There was no old business

New Business

John Hultgren stated that the KAPA Conference and CHS EMS Branch still need award nominations. They will be accepted until July 31st.

Steve Shepherd and Jill Johnson pointed out that all of the national associations are also accepting nominations until August 15th for the national awards.

Announcements

Jill Johnson will be leaving CareFlight and Kentucky to take a position in Denver with AirLife. All present agreed that she will be missed and thanked her for her continuous support of KyAAMS over the years. She has been one of those faces and voices at almost all meetings of KY AAMS since it's formation. KyAAMS and its members wish here the very best of luck in her future endeavors.

Adjournment

Rick Nickoson made a motion seconded by Cathy Spry, to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 8:25pm local time.

Next Meeting of KyAAMS

The next meeting of KyAAMS will be September 2, 1998 at 5:00pm CDT, 6:00pm EDT at the KAPA EMS Conference and Trade Show at the Executive INN in Owensboro Kentucky in a second floor meeting room to be annonced later.