January 18, 2024
McDowell County EMS resumes non-emergency transfers to Mission Hospital in Asheville.
Effective January 18, 2024, McDowell County EMS will lift the temporary transfer pause to Mission Hospital in Asheville, following a comprehensive evaluation of operational metrics. Since the pause was initially implemented, EMS leadership has diligently monitored wall times and turnaround times, noting a consistent improvement in the process of paramedics transferring patient care to nursing staff at Mission Hospital in Asheville.
McDowell EMS paramedics did not experience any delays with transferring of patient care in the month of December nor have any delays occurred so far in January of 2024.
“There have been significant improvements with EMS off load times at Mission Hospital in Asheville,” states Emergency Services Director Will Kehler. “We appreciate the process improvements, and the additional resources HCA has dedicated to the emergency room to ensure ambulance off load times are not excessive. Our patients are now being received in a timely manner upon arrival at the ER in Asheville, with EMS ambulances returning to service soon after. We also appreciate the level of outreach and collaboration shown by HCA leadership over the past month to resolve these critical issues. We look forward to working collaboratively to ensure this progress is sustained for our patients and community moving forward.”
