Hospital asks Prairie County to increase ambulance support; software and billing costs spotlighted

Hospital and ambulance officials presented their fiscal outlook to the board and requested increased county support for ambulance operations and a county‑position ambulance coordinator.

A hospital representative explained the ambulance coordinator position is chiefly a county responsibility and asked the commission to consider increasing the county contribution from $6,000 toward as much as $12,000 annually. The representative said ambulance billing complexity and EHR choices impose significant costs on the service, citing setup and software costs as substantial and noting ongoing percentage fees for billing platforms.

Ambulance staff described operational pressures: increased mutual‑aid calls, coverage of public events with multiple EMTs and the high cost of medications and equipment. One ambulance official said switching from auto‑injectors to prefilled ampoules could reduce costs dramatically for epinephrine doses, subject to final approvals.

Commissioners discussed options including an interlocal agreement, raising event fees charged to organizers, and whether the county could assume a greater share of the coordinator's salary. No contract or funding change was adopted; commissioners agreed to place the issue on a future agenda to consider an MOU or phased increase in the county contribution.

The hospital also reviewed its broader budget, describing regulatory and reimbursement pressures and urging the commission to consider ambulance contributions as part of a community health partnership.