Mayor Dan Rivera announced today that Lawrence General Hospital, the City’s leading health care provider, will expand its ambulance service for residents of the City of Lawrence from advanced life support to include basic life support.
“Partnering with Lawrence General Hospital to provide this service will ensure a high level of emergency ambulance services for Lawrence residents, and expand the Hospital’s current advanced life support services to comprise basic life support in Lawrence as well”, said Mayor Rivera.
“Lawrence General Hospital is a vital pillar in the community and a tremendous health care resource, providing emergency services to more than 70,000 patients a year, and this is a natural service expansion”, Mayor Rivera added.
“Since Lawrence General Hospital continues to grow and invest in Lawrence, I feel it’s appropriate for us to provide them with an opportunity to continue their investment and help them grow as a world class hospital”, said the Mayor. The Hospital recently announced it will invest $72 million in its facility, including new operating rooms, patient room renovations and infrastructure improvements.
The Hospital is the only Level III Trauma Center in the area and has been providing paramedic services to Lawrence residents and the region for 27 years. Their team of paramedics and EMT’s are carefully selected and have an average of 15 years’ experience. They respond to more than 10,000 calls each year.
Serving as the City’s basic life support service provider, in addition to their ongoing advanced life support service, will help the Hospital continue to expand their outstanding emergency and acute care services to Lawrence and the surrounding community.
“The Hospital continues to grow and invest in Lawrence. I want to support their investment and help them grow and expand their world-class hospital services”, said Mayor Rivera.
The Hospital is the first ALS service in MA and currently 1 of 4 services in MA authorized to use specialized medications to help secure a patient’s airway.
The City will work with all current ambulance providers to ensure a smooth transition.
“Having a non-profit hospital provide these services gives us the assurance that profits won’t trump quality of services. This will also erase any appearance of impropriety real or imagined between the municipality and ambulance service providers that was common under the last administration”, said Mayor Rivera.
“It makes sense to provide the Hospital with this opportunity to further integrate the patient care they provide in the community. This partnership is consistent with the Hospital’s mission to improve the health of the people and the community they serve”, said Mayor Rivera.