Contact: Tim Kershner | 603-356-0628 | Timothy.Kershner@MaineHealth.org
NORTH CONWAY, NH – MaineHealth Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is launching an interfacility transport service in collaboration with MaineHealth Memorial Hospital. The transportation service, MaineHealth officials say, strengthens patient access to specialized care and ensures seamless transitions between hospitals and care facilities.
According to Paul Hughes, supervisor for MaineHealth EMS at MaineHealth Memorial Hospital, this initiative underscores MaineHealth’s shared commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care and expanding essential health care services in the region.
“MaineHealth EMS and Memorial Hospital are working together to ensure that patients receive the right care at the right time and in the right place. With this expansion at Memorial, we’ll improve response times and ensure that critically ill and specialized-care patients can be transported efficiently without unnecessary delays.”
The new transport service expands in April, initially with one licensed ambulance and crew based at MaineHealth Memorial Hospital.
This service is designed for patients requiring advanced treatment at another facility, those needing specialized services not available locally, and those transferring to rehabilitation or long-term care settings. Through this partnership, MaineHealth EMS has invested in licensed ambulances, trained personnel, and the necessary medical equipment to ensure patient safety and continuity of care during transit.
By working with MaineHealth Memorial Hospital, MaineHealth EMS aims to alleviate hospital capacity challenges, reduce emergency department bottlenecks, and ensure timely discharges and transfers. The addition of this service at MaineHealth Memorial Hospital is a key part of MaineHealth’s strategy to enhance health care delivery across its regional hospitals.
“When we have patients needing specialized care at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland or need to be transported to Dartmouth, Boston, or other hospitals or nursing homes, this service lets us get patients efficiently where they need to be,” said Will Owen, RN, Director of Emergency Services at MaineHealth Memorial Hospital. “Being able to move patients requiring a different level of care without delay ensures that hospitals maintain open beds for incoming patients and avoid unnecessary overcrowding. This collaboration allows us to provide more efficient, seamless care for those we serve.”
“Paramedics and EMTs working under physician guidance within MaineHealth EMS are uniquely positioned to support patients both before and during transit,” Hughes explained. “By working alongside Memorial’s care teams, we ensure that patients receive the best possible care before, during, and after transport. This collaboration fosters a smoother, more comfortable transition for our patients.”
Unlike traditional ambulance services, MaineHealth EMS’s interfacility transport will not respond to 911 calls, allowing local emergency responders to remain focused on urgent community needs. Instead, the dedicated MaineHealth EMS teams will integrate into MaineHealth Memorial Hospital’s clinical environment, providing additional support when not on transport duty.
In addition to MaineHealth Memorial Hospital in North Conway, MaineHealth EMS currently operates transport services at other locations, including MaineHealth Stephens Hospital and MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Maine. MaineHealth EMS also operates ambulances in Scarborough, Brunswick and Northport, with plans to expand to Sanford. Each ambulance is strategically positioned to serve its home base while remaining available for system-wide patient transfers.
The expansion at MaineHealth Memorial Hospital further strengthens this network, improving access to specialized care across the region. MaineHealth and MaineHealth Memorial Hospital officials explain this initiative reflects the shared commitment to enhancing patient outcomes, improving care coordination, and ensuring that rural communities have the same level of access to medical transport as larger metropolitan areas.
“This is a crucial step toward streamlining care delivery across the MaineHealth system,” Hughes said. “By reducing delays in transportation and expanding these critical services to Memorial Hospital, we are improving patient flow, reducing hospital stays, and ultimately ensuring that every patient receives the best possible care.”
About MaineHealth Memorial Hospital
MaineHealth Memorial Hospital is a 25-bed Critical Access hospital serving the Mount Washington Valley of northern New Hampshire and western Maine. MaineHealth Memorial Hospital has earned a reputation among local residents and visitors for providing quality, compassionate and personalized care to its patients.
MaineHealth Memorial Hospital includes a robust array of health care services including primary and specialty care services and therapies, emergency care, a birthing center and surgical services. Its care team of 525 includes physicians and advance practice providers who are among the more than 2,000 providers who are part of the MaineHealth Medical Group. Memorial patients have access to onsite care in oncology, cardiology, vascular and pulmonary medicine. MaineHealth Memorial Hospital also partners with several local organizations to provide outreach and educational services supporting the health of our patients and community.
MaineHealth Memorial Hospital is part of MaineHealth, a not-for-profit integrated health system whose vision is, “Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America.” As part of the MaineHealth family, MaineHealth Memorial Hospital is able to offer patients a comprehensive network of care that includes world-class specialists, a Level 1 Trauma medical center, comprehensive pediatric care services, an extensive behavioral health care network, diagnostic services as well as home health, hospice and senior care services.