WVU Medicine, Mon EMS to merge EMS services in Mon and Preston counties

WVU Hospitals and Monongalia Health System have signed a letter of intent to combine the assets of Monongalia Emergency Medical Services (Mon EMS) and HealthTeam Critical Care Transport to create a single, cohesive countywide emergency medical system/transport structure to better serve the needs of residents of Monongalia and Preston Counties.

Under the terms of the agreement, the assets of HealthTeam in Monongalia County will be transferred to Mon EMS. After the two entities are combined, Mon EMS will be jointly managed and operated by Mon Health System and WVU Hospitals.

According to officials, the joint operation will make EMS services more efficient, as services provided will be under a consistent, cost effective, and rapid response model, offering basic and advanced life support throughout the region.

The announcement was made at Wednesday's (Nov. 28) Monongalia County Commission meeting.

Ambulances will be based at the present Mon EMS headquarters, at the Gateway complex, Cheat Lake VFD, Clinton District VFD, and Clay-Battelle Health Center. Other locations may be added in the future.

The Mon EMS ambulances will be co-branded after the joint agreement is in effect, and will display the name “Mon EMS,” as well as the logos of Mon Health Medical Center and WVU Medicine.

A new permanent president/director for Mon EMS will be recruited. In the meantime, the current special operations supervisor of Mon EMS, Pat Cornell, and the current president of HealthTeam, Clinton Burley, will serve as co-interim executive directors of Mon EMS.

The process to merge the assets must have approval from the boards of both hospitals, as well as state licensing agencies. It will likely be spring before details are finalized. In the meantime, calls will be dispatched based on the closest available vehicle.