August 27, 2015 meeting notes:  Fourteen club members attended.  We elected our officers, membership chairman and new at-large board member for 2015-16.


Our speaker was Mary Gilmore, NW MedStar Regional Membership Coordinator.  She explained that NW MedStar provides helicopter, plane or ambulance transportation for medical emergencies, as requested by first responders.  They respond with a critical care nurse/paramedic and respiratory therapist/EMT so they can "bring the ICU to the patient".  They also have special pediatric staff for patients up to age 8.  She explained that about 90% of their transports are from hospital to hospital, since the closest hospital may not be able to provide the care the patient requires.  In Washington  Harborview in Seattle is the only facility rated at the highest level of trauma care.  At the next level down are Sacred Heart in Spokane and one facility in Tacoma.   NW MedStar operates from bases in Tri-Cities, Spokane, Pullman-Moscow; Brewster, Moses Lake and Missoula, Montana and provide service into NE Oregon.  They also have reciprocal agreements with 7 other medical transporters Idaho, Nevada, California and Oregon.


She explained that the average transport cost is $25,000 but membership covers all costs not paid by insurance/Medicare.  Membership is $59/year (or $150/ 3 years) which covers the member and all family members who are eligible to be claimed as dependents on the member's tax return.   There is a group membership option:  if 10 or more group members pay through their group, the fees are $48/year or $126 for 3 years.  NW MedStar has about 45,000 members.