Ambulance service sale may be in the works

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WORTHINGTON — Brandon, S.D.-based ambulance service Med-Star is looking to purchase Sanford ambulance services in both Luverne and Worthington, according to Med-Star operations manager Tracy Foltz.

“We’re just in the initial investigation process right now,” Foltz stated Friday.

Sanford Worthington Medical Center (SWMC) CEO Lynn Olson said talks between Med-Star and Sanford are high-level in the Sanford organization. He added that has not been involved in any of the discussions.

“It’s not just Med-Star,” Olson stated. “Its due diligence talks with more than one company.”

Olson described the meetings between the two entities as “preliminary exploratory discussions,” but an employee who spoke on condition of anonymity said Med-Star staff licensed through South Dakota has been told to obtain Minnesota licensure as well. The employee said they were told to keep quiet about the events taking place between the entities, and indicated the Luverne location was farther along in negotiations that the Worthington site.

Tammy Loosbrock, CEO of Sanford Luverne, was unavailable for comment, but Olson said his office hasn’t been asked to submit any information to either Med-Star or Sanford.

“We haven’t done any due diligence, no numbers have been run,” he stated. “We track all of that stuff, and I haven’t been asked to submit any of it. I’m only speaking for Worthington — I don’t worry about Luverne or who may be approaching Sanford.”

Olson said companies look at a variety of service contracts annually to see if changes could be made that are cost- and quality-effective or advantageous, and this is no different.

An email dated June 16 from Sanford Health Vice President of Health Network Randy Anderson to Olson and Loosbrock states Sanford has had discussions with numerous ambulance services over the past 18 months. Two of those were from out of state, the email says, and both approached Sanford.

“One of those companies that approached Sanford was Med-Star,” the email states. “Med-Star was the only local company, based out of Brandon, S.D., that requested a meeting to share their operational approach to ambulance services. … We do plan to meet with Med-Star again to review the information that is being gathered in the near future.”

Med-Star, doing its own due diligence, asked the state of Minnesota what it would take to get a Minnesota Ambulance License, according to the email, and was asking on its own behalf.

Olson said Friday the ambulance crew in Worthington is a good one.

“We’re proud of our folks — it’s no reflection on them at all,” he explained. “We’re just trying to provide the best service possible in the long run. Our goal is to have the best ambulance care in our region.”

He reiterated that no decisions had been made, something Anderson’s email also states.

“There is no imminent change,” Olson said.

He likened the due diligence to a time when the medical center was looking at different emergency room contracts, stating no changes were made when that occurred.

“It’s just something Sanford does periodically about different services,” he said.

Worthington Ambulance is not under a contract, because it is actually owned by SWMC.

“We own the ambulances and pay the staff,” Olson stated. “They do a great job.”

Foltz wouldn’t say if staffing changes would be made locally if Med-Star does purchase the Luverne and Worthington ambulance services, stating only that everything was still in the information gathering process.

“That would have to be determined at a later time,” he said.

Tags: news, worthington, luverne, sanford