Expert witness says Aetna proposal stronger than WEMSA’s, citing experience, CAD-integrated tracking and dynamic deployment

Michael Gunderson, an EMS systems expert who testified at a continuation of an administrative hearing, told the panel he favors the town’s plan working with Aetna over the proposal from WEMSA. Gunderson cited Aetna’s operational experience, integrated vehicle-location tracking tied to computer-aided dispatch and the company’s dynamic deployment strategy as reasons the Aetna plan is more likely to meet the town’s needs.

Gunderson, who identified himself as owner and president of the Center For Systems Improvement and described decades of EMS clinical, management and system-design work, said “the experience of an ambulance service provider is one of the best predictors of its future performance.” He testified that Aetna has a long history of providing both ALS and BLS services and that WEMSA, which began as a volunteer agency, is relatively early in its transition to career staffing.

On technology, Gunderson said…