End of the runway for Bermuda Air Medivac
The Registrar of Companies in Bermuda has confirmed that the island’s fixed-wing air ambulance service has officially closed its doors to customers.According to proprietor Eloise Bell, the closure comes as a result of poor business levels and high charges at LF Wade International Airport.
The Registrar of Companies in Bermuda has confirmed that the island’s fixed-wing air ambulance service has officially closed its doors to customers.
According to proprietor Eloise Bell, the closure comes as a result of poor business levels and high charges at LF Wade International Airport. She told Bermuda News: “Insurance companies were using a cheaper service from the [US]. But now I’m hearing that they are actually losing money on it. [This is] because they have to wait for the planes to get here, that means they have to secure a bed, and the patients are getting there later, so they’re sicker. That costs more to treat them.” The effect of waiting for an aircraft to fly in from the US, Bell alleged, is having an adverse impact on patient health. “I know it because I work at the hospital [as an emergency room nurse,” she added. “I can’t prove it, but if someone’s waiting 16 hours to get sent abroad for treatment, I’m sure it’s making people sicker.” Bell said that the company will not be selling off its assets, instead deciding to store the aircraft, a Cessna Citation S2, in a hangar in New York.
While there is no longer a dedicated air ambulance service based on the island, Public Safety Minister Michael Dunkley is confident that patients are not suffering. He told Bermuda News: “I did a little research on the matter and found that there were a few providers of this type of service, and that by and large the island was well served.” He added: “I have sympathy for the plight of [Bell’s] business initiative, but as the health provider can call on a couple of providers of this service, it is simply a matter of supply and demand, and the health provider is continually trying to get the best deal for every case.”