posted December 22, 2020

2020 has been a year of disruption. It has taken the contents of our lives, metaphorically dumped them out on a table like a woman searching for keys in her purse and thrown them all back in the bag – old gum wrappers, crumpled receipts, and all.

OUR LIVES HAVE BEEN TURNED UPSIDE DOWN

We each have had our own struggles this year. Whether it was work, family, financial, social, or health issues, our lives have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For those of us in air medical, we have keenly felt the disruption. When the pandemic started, there was uncertainty about the nature of the virus and what precautions were needed to protect clinicians and flight crews, but also over financial and job security.

YET EACH OF US HAS A REASON TO BE THANKFUL THIS YEAR

One of the earliest moments of hope can be attributed to the Supply Chain team at Air Methods. Sooner than many others in the industry were thinking about it, our team began sourcing PPE, and lots of it. To protect Air Methods’ most valuable asset, its teammates, the Supply Chain team worked creatively to overdeliver on PPE not only for our own crews, but also our partners and competitors.

“There is a lot to be thankful for in 2020,” said Stephanie Queen, Air Methods SVP Clinical Services. “I’m grateful that our company thinks strategically to ensure that we have the best equipment to support our teammates, including providing them with the PPE that they need. It’s something to be very proud of.”

WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE THING WE ARE MOST THANKFUL FOR AT AIR METHODS IS OUR TEAM

“I’m thankful for all our staff at Air Methods – especially our clinicians,” said Queen. “They are upfront 100% of the time, in harm’s way, and continue day in and day out to hold up everything we are trying to do as a company, which is caring for our patients.”

Our San Antonio AirLife team experienced a 25% increase in call volumes, transporting many patients with COVID-19 from rural hospitals to San Antonio-area hospitals. The StarCare team in Crete, NE began transporting up to four COVID-19 patients a day, causing interfacility transport numbers to rise between 50% and 100%.

Our paramedics from Mercy Air in Imperial County, CA, averaged at least two COVID patient transports a day along with their other calls, a statistic that doubled by spring this year. An increase in call volumes across the country, including Omaha, NE, was not just more work for our flight crews, but also for maintenance, AirCom, and Patient Advocacy.

“I’m so grateful for our teammates,” said JaeLynn Williams, CEO. “They have shown that they were willing to make sacrifices for each other and for the patients that they serve.”

If teammates are our most important asset, the safety of those teammates is also top of the gratitude list for 2020.

“We had zero fatal accidents this year,” said Leo Morrisette, EVP Operations. “We need to ring it from the mountaintops, be proud and strive for it daily.”

In a tumultuous year, the spirit, commitment, and resilience of our company remains.

“Even with COVID fatigue, people still want to join our team and provide excellent care,” said Queen. “We have team members who are excited to work and deliver on the promise that we give to our patients. This speakspowerfully to the year we’ve had.” We wish everyone a happy holiday season full of laughter, gratitude, and hope for good things in the year to come!