Proposed ambulance service on hold

BOWLING GREEN, Ky-The prospect of a second ambulance service dates back to September 2018, when a statement of emergency was issued by the Cabinet for Family Services under then-Governor Bevin. The statement cited a report by the Pegasus Institute which found in part “patient health” and safety was “at risk due to excessive response times”

Fast forward fifteen months, on January 2, 2020, under a Statement of Emergency signed by Governor Beshear, the order making way for a second ambulance service in warren county is reversed.

The rationale for the reversal? “A loss of state funds” due to a lawsuit over the original statement of emergency which legally permitted a second ambulance service.

Wade Stone, the executive vice president of the Medical Center of Bowling Green, the operator of the current ambulance service, issued a statement that read in part “Med Center Health commends the Cabinet for Health and Family Services on its decision to reverse the effects of a certificate of need regulation which was issued in September 2018. That regulation, had it not been reversed, promised to negatively impact ambulance service in Warren County.”

The company that has applied with the state to operate the competing ambulance service, Tristar Greenview Hospital, issued their statement, which read in part, “we were surprised to learn about the unexpected announcement by the Cabinet for Health and Family services regarding ground ambulance service proposals.” they also told WNKY News they were “working to learn more about what this announcement means for” their application process.”