RGH gets new helipad

Since its inception at Roosevelt General Hospital about two weeks ago, TriState CareFlight has assisted in transporting nearly a dozen people from the area to surrounding hospitals in emergency situations via helicopter, according to TriState CareFlight's New Mexico Business Development Manager Ed Rhue.

Prior to this new relationship with RGH, Rhue said the closest helicopter to RGH was 30 minutes away for patients with critical or life-threatening medical conditions. This relationship with RGH will provide quicker air ambulance transportation to regional and metropolitan hospitals.

The company's newest helipad in New Mexico is behind RGH, making Portales its seventh station in the state.

"After looking into hospitals, we identified a need at the hospital (RGH)," Rhue said. "They were flying out quite a bit of people a year."

Rhue says the service will cut down vital time for a patient's access to a higher level of care than they can't receive at RGH.

Rhue said this service will help a variety of people with dire conditions including trauma, cardiac and stroke patients in this rural area.

He added that the helicopter will also allow patients to be picked up at the scene of an accident rather than being transported to RGH first.

RGH signed a contract with TriState CareFlight in November at no cost to RGH for construction and personnel staffing the station, according to Larry Leaming, hospital chief executive officer.

Leaming said the only additional cost to the hospital is insurance, increasing by $4,000 a year. CareFlight will pay $500 per month to the hospital to rent space for their flight pad, which Leaming says will more than cover the cost.

"We are thrilled to have a TriState CareFlight helicopter on site to guarantee our patients will receive the highest medical quality and fastest transportation available," Leaming said. "We look forward to continuing this partnership to improve the medical care offered to Roosevelt County."

"The growing population of Portales deserves excellent and expedited care during critical moments of their lives," added TriState CareFlight's Vice President of Business Development Scott Stamper. "TriState CareFlight's partnership with Roosevelt General Hospital further ensures the protection of lives throughout a 125-mile radius of Portales."

TriState CareFlight and RGH will invite community members to an open house to be scheduled soon, according to RGH Spokeswoman Amber Hamilton.