Switz Co. EMS, Commissioners Can't Reach Agreement; KDH Providing Ambulance In Interim

Monday, January 4, 2016 at 6:28 AM

By Mike Perleberg (Switzerland County, Ind.) - Kings Daughters Hospital is providing EMS service to Switzerland County on a temporary basis after talks for a 2016 agreement between county leaders and Switzerland County EMS broke down. According to minutes from Switzerland County Commissioners meeting in November, the county commissioners and the privately-owned Switzerland County EMS, Inc. were at an impasse in allowing an agreement on EMS service for the county to expire. There were two main sticking points in the negotiations. The commissioners – Josh South, Mark Lohide, and Steve Lyons – want the county to be provided details on expenditures. The commissioners also want a county council member and commissioner as voting representatives on the EMS company’s board of directors. Lohide said it is a decision the commissioners do not take lightly because of the more than 30 full- and part-time employees who work for SCEMS. The changes sought to the contract stemmed from a “lack of confidence in the organization”, according to the commissioners meeting summary. Earlier in November, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security placed Switzerland County EMS under probation for two years after issuing findings that the contractor was in violation of several state rules. Those violations included lack of proper records and documentation. An investigative television news report by Fox 19 last July brought to light allegations that the EMS company had been fabricating CPR certifications. Switzerland County provides more than $110,625 to Switzerland County EMS each quarter (more than $440,000 per year) for its services. Lyons said that because SCEMS is receiving government money, it should be subject to open-door laws. Switzerland County EMS’ board was not open to the county’s requests for voting members on the board of directors. Attorney Lisa Rosenberger said that Switzerland County would continue to allow the county to have non-voting members, but allowing voting rights would create a conflict of interest because the county would be contracting from both sides. Rosenberger released the following statement to the Vevay Reveille Enterprise newspaper on behalf of the Switzerland County EMS board:

"Switzerland County EMS, Inc., is disappointed that the Switzerland County Commissioners decided not to contract with them and have chosen instead, to go with an out-of-county provider for the upcoming year. "Switzerland County EMS, Inc., is a private not-for-profit corporation that has been serving this county since 1969. The EMS Board of Directors made concessions to try and meet the Commissioner's requests, but did not feel it was prudent to allow the County government to dictate their private corporation structure through a contract for services. "Switzerland County EMS, Inc., will continue to provide service to this County as is allowed. The Switzerland County EMS has always considered it a high privilege to provide care for the wonderful people in this community."

Though SCEMS is claiming to be an independent contractor corporation, South pointed out at the November 24 that SCEMS has asked the county to provide employee benefits and use of municipal vehicle tags. Lyons recalled that SCEMS had approached the county for $8,000 to repair an engine. “The relationship has always been tightly coupled but only when it has benefited one side,” South stated. KDH has not signed an agreement with Switzerland County for providing EMS service on an interim basis, but the hospital has provided a letter of commitment to staffing a medic and EMT at the Switzerland Count Sheriff's Department to answer calls 24/7. Meanwhile, county commissioners are searching for a permanent solution. One option could be forming the county’s own EMS service. Another could be putting out a request for proposal for a new EMS provider or SCEMS to bid on. In a December 30 post on his Facebook page, South stressed that residents in need of an ambulance should continue to call 911.