Apr. 17—VAN WERT — Brian Hathaway often finds himself behind the wheel of an ambulance, working 24-hour shifts as his company, Spirit Medical Transport, contends with a dwindling pool of prospective EMTs and paramedics willing to work grueling hours transporting patients across Ohio.
He and Spirit Vice President Aaron Guthrie, both certified paramedics, are now accustomed to working several shifts each week, transporting patients to nursing homes, dialysis appointments and between hospitals, sometimes pulling office workers cross-trained as EMTs or paramedics to assist with the runs.
As one of the few remaining private ambulance companies operating in the Lima region, Spirit Medical Transport helps fill the gap for non-emergency medical transport not covered by public EMS crews, which focus on 911 calls.
But the shortage of EMTs and paramedics means Spirit Medical Transport also maintains a lengthy waiting list of nursing homes and medical facilities—now totaling 96—in need of services that the company cannot provide.
"We're saying no to those 96 facilities on the waiting list because we'd only be in a situation where we overpromised and under delivered," said Hathaway, president and CEO of Spirit.
For-profits claim low reimbursement rates hurt
Hathaway has watched as other private ambulance companies in the region have shuttered in recent years, a trend he blames on low Medicaid reimbursement rates in Ohio, particularly as inflation pushes the cost of fuel and wages higher.
"We can't even start the engine for what they're reimbursing," he said.
While some hospitals and long-term care facilities like Mercy Health-St. Rita's Medical Center have their own medical transport teams, Hathaway said his company is called upon by Lima hospitals almost daily to assist with patient discharges to other facilities when those crews are unavailable.
But Spirit is struggling to retain EMTs and paramedics as wages in other industries outpace what the company can offer, especially as those jobs come without the stress associated with emergency medical services.
In some cases, Hathaway said, hospitals are recruiting paramedics to staff emergency departments as the health care industry faces its own worker shortage.
Shortage a persistent problem for rural communities
Recruiting EMTs and paramedics has been a challenge ever since LuAnn Young Peter joined Spencerville EMS 14 years ago.
Ideally, Young Peter would like at least one paramedic to assist on every run, she said. But the volunteer department is currently operating without any paramedics, who undergo additional training compared to EMTs and first responders so they can administer medications and perform more advanced medical care.