Local ambulance owner warns supervisors a county ordinance restricting outside agencies could delay care

At the Dickenson County Board of Supervisors meeting, Eddie Kaiser, who identified himself as owner of KDK Transport and ProMed Ambulance, used public comment to oppose a proposed ordinance that he said would restrict hospitals from calling outside ambulance agencies.

Kaiser said hospitals follow "an algorithm" when assigning transports and that his company receives calls when county rescue agencies lack availability. He told the board that "last month, my agency ... ran 47 calls out of Dickenson County" and that KDK/ProMed provides 24/7 coverage, including holidays and weekends. He said his company is paid by patient insurance rather than by hospitals directly.

Kaiser also described medical equipment advantages he says his company provides, including two bariatric trucks and stretchers rated for higher weights, ventilators, Lucas chest-compression devices and stair chairs. "We are 1 of the only few agencies in Virginia that have 2 bariatric trucks," he said, and later described that bariatric ambulances and powered stretchers are required for some patients who exceed the weight limits of standard stretchers.

Kaiser asked supervisors to review the actual call list he brought and said an ordinance that limited which agencies hospitals may call first could increase response time if the hospital were prevented from calling the nearest or best-equipped provider.

Board members asked follow-up questions about Kaiser's location and equipment; Kaiser provided a street address and said he had left printed call lists with the clerk. No vote was taken on any ordinance during the meeting; staff told Kaiser an ordinance discussion is part of a future agenda item rather than the public-hearing topic then underway.