Airlift Northwest designated as preferred provider

“We are delighted to collaborate to enhance the accessibility of emergency care to those who need it most,” said Jeff Richey, Airlift Northwest’s interim Executive Director. “Combining the expertise in Jefferson Healthcare’s clinical care and Airlift Northwest’s excellence in air medical transport means providing rapid, high-quality care for those in greatest need.”

He described the partnership as ‘the latest development in decades of collaboration’ between the two organizations.

Mike Glenn, Jefferson Healthcare CEO, added: “Airlift Northwest has a long history of taking great care of our patients and working closely with our providers. The agreement allows for a greater peninsula presence of Airlift Northwest helicopters and flight nurses, yet still allows patient choice in selecting a life flight provider.”

Enabling rapid responses in the ‘golden hour’

Airlift Northwest’s bases throughout the Puget Sound region overlap operational areas to enable rapid responses. With helicopters based in Arlington, Bellingham, Bremerton, and Olympia, patients can be quickly transported from the scene of accidents or between hospitals in the ‘golden hour’ of emergency medicine – the critically short time window when medical care makes the most difference to a patient’s outcome.

Richey concluded: “We are committed to serving all the communities of the Olympic Peninsula and Puget Sound by working closely with first responders and local hospitals to offer the highest standards of care. Working closely with the Jefferson Healthcare and local emergency responders allows us to combine speed and quality to save lives together.”