Lahey Hospital & Medical Center to Join Boston MedFlight Consortium

December 08, 2016 BEDFORD, MA – Boston MedFlight and Lahey Hospital & Medical Center (LHMC) announced today they have reached agreement and that LHMC plans to join the Boston MedFlight Consortium in early 2017. Boston MedFlight is a non-profit organization that provides critical care transport to the region’s most severely ill and injured patients with its fleet of helicopters, fixed wing aircraft and ground vehicles, all of which are outfitted with state of the art medical equipment and serve as mobile intensive care units. Boston MedFlight was founded in 1985 through a partnership of leading Boston hospitals (“the Consortium”), which includes Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Tufts Medical Center.

The unprecedented partnership of Boston MedFlight and its Consortium hospitals began thirty-one years ago, and continues to provide critically ill and injured patients with the advanced level of care they require, relying on Boston MedFlight as their lifeline. Boston MedFlight coordinates with these leading medical centers, putting competition aside, to make the very best decision for the patient. Boston MedFlight’s daily mission is to provide the right vehicle to the right patient at the right time and transport them safely to the right facility. Boston MedFlight is unique among critical care transport providers in the country and is seen as an excellent healthcare model: sharing resource-intense medical care among healthcare systems, thus ensuring high-quality care for patients while also controlling costs.

“For thirty-one years, Boston MedFlight’s Consortium has represented a highly successful collaboration between the Boston hospitals, effectively extending tertiary-level care to patients in the community. We welcome further collaboration with LHMC, caring for the region’s most vulnerable patients,” said Ann Prestipino, Chair of Boston MedFlight’s Board of Trustees, and Senior Vice President at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Boston MedFlight and LHMC have worked together for many years, and Boston MedFlight has cared for hundreds of LHMC’s critically ill and injured patients. Both institutions are pleased to
formalize their longstanding partnership, and LHMC represents the first new addition to the Consortium since the inception of Boston MedFlight.

“The Boston MedFlight Consortium has been a trusted partner for many years, ensuring the safe transport of hundreds of our most critically ill patients,” said Joanne Conroy, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Lahey Hospital & Medical Center. “As we prepare to open our new state-of-the-art Emergency Department in 2017, we are delighted to strengthen our relationship with the Consortium, and continue to provide the best possible care for our patients and the communities we serve.”

“Boston MedFlight is a vital healthcare resource to the most critically ill and injured patients in our region. As we continue to grow, we look forward to extending our non-profit mission with Lahey Hospital & Medical Center and our joint commitment to and investment in quality and safety for patients,” said Maura Hughes, Boston MedFlight Chief Financial Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer.

For more information about Boston MedFlight, please visit www.bostonmedflight.org
For more information about Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, please visit www.lahey.org

Media inquiries can be directed to Kate Teague of Boston MedFlight, and Andrew Mastrangelo of Lahey Hospital & Medical Center.