Letter to Towns in NorthStar Service Area
January 7, 2005
Enclosed is a new contract that corrects very minor errors in the contracts we distributed December 20th. The previous document said on page two that the 2nd year price would be 4.9% times the price of the first year contract. What was meant, and what I described at the December 20th informational meeting, was that the second year of the contract would be the first year amount plus 4.9%. Also the date of December 1, 2007 was corrected to December 1, 2006. This contract provides firm pricing information for FY06 and FY07. Seven months before the start of the FY08 fiscal year, the hospital will provide towns information about EMS costs in order to allow all towns ample time to use the information in their budgeting and town approval processes. The enclosed document makes these minor corrections.
I am pleased to report that the Town of Wilton has signed an agreement with us and we expect several of the other towns supported by LifeStar to also soon approve the same. Please note that we added wording in the attached document in a new section 4.8 that allows for the cancellation of the agreement which became effective November 1, 2001.
I have been asked if a paramedic service will be continued locally. Yes, it will be. We are going to obtain the flexibility to use other levels of EMS staff for patient transports where a paramedic is not necessary. For example, we conduct many transports of patients to and from nursing homes. Some of these transports do not require a paramedic. Franklin Memorial Hospital consistently delivers high quality care in all we do. This same approach will continue as NorthStar is formed.
Concern has been expressed by some towns that the new NorthStar Advisory Board will be appointed by the Board of Franklin Memorial Hospital instead of appointed by each town. NorthStar EMS will serve over 50 municipalities. It is impractical and counter-productive to have an Advisory Board consisting of 50+ members. Previously the advisory boards of CES, LifeStar, AMPS, Rangeley and Sugarloaf were ad-hoc groups without authority or formal influence as they were advisory to FMH management. The new NorthStar Advisory Board will be a formal part of the board governance structure of the hospital. As such, the hospital board through its bylaws must appoint all members to board committees. The new NorthStar Advisory Board will recommend policy directly to the board of Franklin Memorial Hospital. The new Advisory Board will be more influential than the previous five ad-hoc advisory groups. The FMH board welcomes recommendations for membership to the Advisory Board from all the participating municipalities. The FMH Board will appoint citizens to the NorthStar Advisory Board who represent various points of view and live in different parts of the region NorthStar will serve. The new Advisory Board will be generally representative of the region served, but individual members will not be designated "representatives" for any one municipality. The new NorthStar Advisory Board will have the responsibility for developing policy that best serves all the communities and citizens of the large region FMH serves.
There has also been a concern that outspoken members of the Advisory Board would not be welcome. The opposite is true. The FMH board has always valued participation of members at the board level and at FMH board committees. It is important the members of the NorthStar Advisory Board express their views. It is also important all members work toward the welfare of all the communities and patients NorthStar will serve. These two traits can be compatible.
Franklin Memorial Hospital hopes your municipality will approve the enclosed agreement to allow us the privilege to continue to provide EMS service to your communities. We will provide you an outstanding service in the tradition of our values: caring, excellence, pride and innovation.
David Robie and I are available to answer any questions. You may contact me at 779-2265.
Sincerely,
Richard Batt
President, Franklin Memorial Hospital
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