RMC chooses sole ambulance provider

Northeast Louisiana Ambulance Service has signed on as Richardson Medical Center’s sole provider for ground transportation of patients to other hospitals requiring a higher level of care.

NELA’s contract with the hospital, located in Rayville, became effective on June 8. James Barrett, Jr., Richardson Medical Center’s CEO, signed the agreement on June 7. 

NELA is now the sole provider for all hospitals and nursing homes in Richland Parish. The service has contracts with the parish’s three nursing homes and Richland Parish Hospital in Delhi.

“Signing on with Richardson Medical Center is a win for not only NELA, but for the hospital and the fine folks in Richland Parish as well,” said Dr. Joel Eldridge, NELA’s President and CEO. “We are going to take excellent care of this hospital just as we’ve done with our hospitals in Delhi, Winnsboro and Tallulah. We’ve been in the Richland Parish community since 1999 and our ability to deliver on promises we’ve made helped get us here today.”

In addition to providing ground transportation for four hospitals, NELA continues to operate as the 911 provider for over 63,000 residents of Franklin, Madison, Richland, Catahoula and Tensas parishes. NELA runs 12 trucks out of seven stations 24/7 and employees 100, with sixty full time workers. With the Rayville hospital addition, NELA is now the sole EMS provider to all nursing facilities and hospitals in all five parishes the service operates.

“We’re committed to the parishes we serve and are proud to provide emergency medical services to its residents,” said Shane Scott, spokesperson for NELA. “Our team of medical professionals have worked to provide exceptional care and service for the two decades we’ve been in operation. We bring a longstanding tradition of providing healthcare services to these communities in rural northeast Louisiana.  These aren’t just areas of service to us, this is home.”