Published May 15 in the Nicholas Countian

Nicholas County Ambulance Service operation is awarded for next year

The Nicholas Countian

CARLISLE — Emergency ambulance service for the people of Nicholas County will return to Carlisle on July 1 after being directed from northern Kentucky since July 1, 2002. The Nicholas County Fiscal Court voted to award the contract for next year to co-providers Kristy Hagen and Beth Hopkins, who have worked as employees of American Emergency Resources (AER) during the year.

AER did not submit a bid for renewal of its contract to provide emergency ambulance service to Nicholas County after a year of conflict and controversy.

The winning bid submitted by Hagen and Hopkins proposed a three-year agreement with an annual review to be held at the end of each year and either the fiscal court or the co-providers having the opportunity to withdraw from the contract with justification and a reasonable period of notification. The rationale for the three-year bid was stated as the difficulty, or inability, to obtain general and liability insurance on a year-to-year basis.

Kristy Hagen is a National Registered EMT-Paramedic with certifications in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support. She has worked in the emergency medical field for seven years and has served as the local director of Nicholas County Ambulance Service for the past six months.

Hagen stated in her proposal that, although she how resides in Bourbon County, she would make prompt arrangements to relocate into her hometown community to be more accessible for emergency ambulance service.

Beth Hopkins will assume responsibility for direct billing for ambulance service, a change from AER’s paying a percentage to an outside billing agency. She also will have responsibilities for medical records and for assignment of EMT shifts. 

Hopkins has a Business Management degree from Maysville Community College and experience with medical coding and billing. She also has in depth knowledge of the daily operation of Nicholas County Ambulance Service.

Hagen and Hopkins actually submitted two proposals. One addresses provision of emergency ambulance service to Nicholas County, and the other addresses provision to the entire area identified under the Nicholas County ‘Certificate of Need,’ which included the southern half of Robertson County and the city of Mt. Olivet. 

The proposal for service to Nicholas County only, requesting a total fiscal court subsidy of $57,000, states that Hagen & Hopkins will:

• provide all areas contained within the Nicholas County boundaries an ALS/BLS (Advance Life Support/Basic Life Support) emergency ambulance service with an established set of protocols and a Medical Director approved by Kentucky and the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure;
• provide one ALS staff (Paramedic & EMT) 24 hours per day, seven days per week (with the exception of an ALS transfer requested from Nicholas County Hospital);
• staff two additional units with a minimum of one EMT and one First Responder as needed;
• be Medicare and Medicaid approved ambulance service providers;
• provide all necessary equipment, supplies and other expenses needed for daily operations;
• be responsible for ensuring that all required insurances are held for the employees and service (Workers’ Compensation, Professional & General Liability);
• provide all maintenance on units under $100, in accordance with Nicholas County Fiscal Court specifications;
• be responsible for monthly telephone bills, including the emergency line used for dispatch;
• furnish the Nicholas County Fiscal Court a monthly volume run report and vehicle maintenance report, including mileage; and
• aid in the incorporation of an advisory board, consisting of approximately five individuals from within emergency medical service, the fiscal court, the hospital and the community at large, to review and suggest ways to maintain a good working relationship within the community.

The determination of the service area will not be finalized until after the Robertson County Fiscal Court holds its regular monthly, scheduled for today (Friday, May 16).

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