Closed - Is Transcare going to buy Alamo EMS?

[moggie6 54]

Hey there have been numerous rumors that Transcare is going to be buying out Alamo. Any truth to this?

[citystation1848 15]

LOL doubt it.

TransCare is just stealing Alamo turf now, i dont think they have intentions of buying them. If anything ive heard rumors that TransCare would buy NDP or MLS. With the recent win in Millbrook, TransCare now has a foothold in the northern section of the county. I don't think theres any truth to the Alamo Rumor. HealthQuest won't let them go.

[JetPhoto 626]

All I know is something is happening somewhere

[Goose 188]

Hopefully that doesn't happen. The health quest benefits are pretty solid.

[citystation1848 15]

Hopefully that doesn't happen. The health quest benefits are pretty solid.

Agreed, you cant go wrong with HealthQuest benefits. Awesome package. TransCare's is something like $200+ every other week. That's a LOT

[RedneckMEDIC 0]

I don't think theres any truth to the Alamo Rumor. HealthQuest won't let them go.

but they already tried to get rid of them once to NDP, so who knows...i've heard murmerings of all sorts

[oc344 0]

Hopefully that doesn't happen. The health quest benefits are pretty solid.

Hey Alamo guys & gals, one of your EMT's stated that Health Quest is letting go a majority of the full timers and replacing them with Part Time / Per Diem staff just so they wouldn't have to pay benefits. Any truth to this? Again just repeating what I heard from a full time EMT at Alamo?

I hope its not true!

[stixx 7]

Agreed, you cant go wrong with HealthQuest benefits. Awesome package. TransCare's is something like $200+ every other week. That's a LOT

200+ thats nothing i had payed 675.00+ for the ambulance.

[celticmedic643 2]

I have a feeling that this will be a VERY interesting thread.

[RNMedic08 0]

At this point rumors are just rumors.......... At this time HQ is not selling Alamo...and in fact will be doing the transports out of another HQ affiliate hospital. As to firing or laying off Full timers that is not the case.

I have heard that Transcare wants all of Dutchess county so that would mean they are going after not only Alamo but MLSS, and NDP!!!

Just remember bigger doesn't always mean better. The more you have the greater the risk you have to make mistakes and make taxpayers and fire districts unhappy!!!

[citystation1848 15]

MLSS will NOT be be bought by anyone because we are NOT being sold.

And why would NDP's owners sell out to TransCare when we just walked away from the merge with Alamo so they could stay in control of the company?

Are you an owner of MLSS? or on the board?

In regards to the NDP story, if the price is right, I'm sure ANY company would sell. Nothing is "never for sale". Not true

At this point rumors are just rumors.......... At this time HQ is not selling Alamo...and in fact will be doing the transports out of another HQ affiliate hospital. As to firing or laying off Full timers that is not the case.

I have heard that Transcare wants all of Dutchess county so that would mean they are going after not only Alamo but MLSS, and NDP!!!

Just remember bigger doesn't always mean better. The more you have the greater the risk you have to make mistakes and make taxpayers and fire districts unhappy!!!

Yes, Alamo is growing, and increasing services offered out of Northern Dutchess Hospital. TransCare however is gaining more turf in Dutchess County as is self-evident. As of now they hold Beekman, Millbrook, Pawling, Union Vale, Wappingers. The clock is also ticking for them to pick up Dover, which I think will happen within the year. The question we all have to ask our self is, all ambulance services provide the same thing and have a common interest, care, right?. I'm pretty sure they all share the common goal. However, how long will it take for an ambulance to get to the scene, is another question and a major factor in the overall picture.

[celticmedic643 2]

Nick calm down. EVERYTHING is for sale. If you knew anything about EMS you should know that rumors are a BIG part of EMS. Always have been and alway will be. Dont take it so personal.

[Goose 188]

Company pride dude. I've learned my lesson about rumors the hard way, and I'm tired of always hearing how this company is taking over and so on and so forth. It's ridiculous. Kind of sad how this site has become a huge rumor mill instead of professionals in our field having intelligent discussions

Bro, it's dutchess county...you always have to be prepared to potentially throw a different shirt on. It's just the way it is up there. Like Celtic said, don't take it personally just do a good job out there and WHATEVER happens, you'll have nothing to worry about.

And company/agency pride is fine, nothing to be ashamed of. Can't tell you how many times i stayed late just because i hated the thought of jobs going mutual aid.

[NB514 0]

In regards to citystation's post: No, I don't own either company or I wouldn't be wasting my time on here. Do you work at ANY paid agency?! How do you know who's buying who?

Please do not attack a brother or sister because he or she is not an affiliate of a paid agency or municipality. We are all here to learn from each other (paid/volunteer or both). Please do not belittle a member of this site because they do not get paid for their dedication to their community. This entire thread calls for speculation, and no one can be wrong here, regardless of affiliation.

Edited May 28, 2009 by NB514

[Guest EFFP411]

I think i will refrain from getting sucked into the middle of this conflagration, and we will see what happens. One thing I can tell you is many offers have been made and respectfully turned down to buy MLSS, its just something that will not happen any time soon.

[moggie6 54]

When it comes to rumors they are indeed a big part of ems. The reason I started this thread is to get information on what is coming down the pipe. It affects everyone in the Duthcess EMS System. The last merger in this county didn't go so well and i'm worried.

I am worried about the commercail agencies and their fight for the all mighty dollar....not the care they are providing, nor their response times. The agency I work for will have to pick up the pieces when the commercial agencies fail. When the dollar rears it's ugly head into a company that needs to make money and we start making financial choices over choices that are good for our paitents we should be providing care for.

I'm worried for my friends who because of circumstance have to work for these bogus outfits. The commercial agencies are paying their employee's dirt cheap money, or maybe they will give them a decent wage but charge them out the other end for health benefits. Lets face it someone is making money here and it's off the backs of you...the employee's and the people we are to serve.

[JTF429 37]

The argument has always been it is tough to work in EMS. On one hand to have 1 agency serve Dutchess would be great, unfortantley it will not be a county wide system that would offer benifits like civil service offers. Most commercial agency's put PT care first but a close seconded is profit. Response times are important and the Town of Wappingers times greatly improved when Trans Care was awarded the contract. I briefly worked for Alamo and left because it wasn't for me. They get trashed alot but pepole forget that they have some dedicated outstanding crews there. This is an interesting thread because it lets EMS workers vent. Mabey someday Goverment will look at the importance of EMS and there employees. I give those in this feild alot of credit. I say let them vent on here. Rumors are just that.

[WAS967 97]

I still remember all the rumors way back when about Sloper and Alamo merging. People swore that would never happen. Oh wait....

[MerlinMedic 5]

The people of Dutchess County would not br happy with a single server that is a commercial for profit company. Rural Metro used to opperate this way: they came into a community and offered a low bid contract for 3 years (or to donate $$!), and to hire the local vollies. The Town said great. Threee years latter, when all the vollies had let their cards lape, RM then said, here's your new contract (cost + profit), pay it or no EMS. In these rural upState Towns there was no choice as RM was the only player. This was the deal they offered my Town/County. No cost for the Town for 3 years, a donation of $100,000 for 3 years if they got the county. Since I knew some folks in Syracuse I was able to get info & we learned from their mistake. Also, my town supervisor is an RN/EMT so had an idea of how EMS works. We were lucky.

There is a reason RM was once #2 in the nation.

As to the rummors: HQ will listen to anyone. Did they? Most likely. NDP & MLSS are the same: listening doesn't hurt. More importantly, why did Millbrook dump ALamo after 20+ years of service? $6,500 isn't really enough to throw over a relationship that has lasted that long. Did Alamo stop responding? Take too long? Never heard those complaints. Not stroke the relationship? Something more ... ? Or are the politicians really that pennywise & pound foolish? Time will tell.

[WAS967 97]

I don't think it's all about underbidding. I seem to recall Transcare actually came in ABOVE Alamo on one or more of the Pawling/Beekman/Unionvale contracts and the towns still decided to go with them.

[citystation1848 15]

I don't think it's all about underbidding. I seem to recall Transcare actually came in ABOVE Alamo on one or more of the Pawling/Beekman/Unionvale contracts and the towns still decided to go with them.

If memory serves correct Transcare was 30k more than Alamo, but the towns had a bad experience with Alamo in the past, which is why TC was selected.

[Medic442 15]

First of all lets make it clear. I work multiple agencys and for at least one that was mentioned. Funny you say they (The Towns ) had a bad experience with Alamo. How come they the towns having issues or problems with other companies they return to Alamo. Even one that had leg issues. Hey everycompany has there pros as well as their cons. I am also not saying that a or any of the towns will come back. Its all about the bis, leave me out of it. Give me a bus, a partner, & a paycheck with bens. Tran does come to town with a big backer. All is fine and be what be. There is enough work in the area for all of us. As for a buy up. Maybe a good thing? There is things going on that is a fact. The other fact is that those who know for sure are being smart this time and not saying. Lets just remember this, We all have to work together and we have shown that time and time again (Thank God ). No matter what shirts we are wearing. I have my hopes for Alamo, but they are mine. Someone said to let us vent, who ever you are you are right. Thanks I feel better now. WHY CAN'T WE ALL GET ALONG????????????

[orangEMT246 6]

First of all lets make it clear. I work multiple agencys and for at least one that was mentioned. Funny you say they (The Towns ) had a bad experience with Alamo. How come they the towns having issues or problems with other companies they return to Alamo. Even one that had leg issues. Hey everycompany has there pros as well as their cons. I am also not saying that a or any of the towns will come back. Its all about the bis, leave me out of it. Give me a bus, a partner, & a paycheck with bens. Tran does come to town with a big backer. All is fine and be what be. There is enough work in the area for all of us. As for a buy up. Maybe a good thing? There is things going on that is a fact. The other fact is that those who know for sure are being smart this time and not saying. Lets just remember this, We all have to work together and we have shown that time and time again (Thank God ). No matter what shirts we are wearing. I have my hopes for Alamo, but they are mine. Someone said to let us vent, who ever you are you are right. Thanks I feel better now. WHY CAN'T WE ALL GET ALONG????????????

Because there will always be people in EMS who will bang their chest and say "my company is better than yours." Call it company pride that just goes to far. When I started in one company in the region, it was pounded into us that "We are better than every other company out there. We are the best and everyone else is s**t." This is what has to stop. This is what makes EMS the bastard children of emergency services. In reality, who really cares who buys who, as long as we ALL work in this economy doing what we love to do: EMS.

[MerlinMedic 5]

If memory serves correct Transcare was 30k more than Alamo, but the towns had a bad experience with Alamo in the past, which is why TC was selected.

TCs bid was 30K more than Alamos for Beekman. The bad experence Beekman had is Greenhaven Corrections. That has been hassed many times over. The Beekman town board was getting a lot of heat over the spend of an extra 30K, not over TC. And that is how things are going to change: voters telling the elected people to do X or Y or they will vote them out of office.

[Guest EFFP411]

See here is the problem, people need to realize that EMS provision can't be based on who is the cheapest, it should be who provides the best service!!! This is why Putnam has failed so many times in the past with providing EMS at the county level, because all they were worried about is the price tag. IF they could do it right and still keep the cost relatively low then great, more power to them, but COME ON, just picking the company with the lowest tag is poor judgement and doing a dis-service to the residents of the area. It shouldn't matter that Transcare's price was 30K higher than Alamos, if transcare provides a better service for that town, then the Town board did it's job. EMS will always be the bastard child if this is the way people continue to think.... Now I'm not saying that just because the price is higher the service is better, but hopefully the town did its research and looked at the facts.

Edited May 31, 2009 by EFFP411

[gpeifer 89]

Isn't now a good time to discuss County Wide, County operated municipal EMS?

[MerlinMedic 5]

See here is the problem, people need to realize that EMS provision can't be based on who is the cheapest, it should be who provides the best service!!! ... Now I'm not saying that just because the price is higher the service is better, but hopefully the town did its research and looked at the facts.

EFFP441, you may have missed or over looked an earlier post. TC under bid Alamo for Millbrook by $6,500, yet they over bid for Beekman by $30,000 in both cases TC got the contract. The question should be asked, why?

Both agencies have good and bad points. I am not going to get into that here, as I am not management. But whatever your feelings, the voters have to let the politicians know their feelings. The research that is done is most often hearsay. So it is important that things like calls turned over, time to scene, and customer satisfaction are included when a town puts out an RFP. My volly squad improved greatly once we started send ing patients satisfaction surveys out on every call. So did our donations , but that was an added benifit.

On another note: maybe should be a new topic, but ... With ObamaCare looming around the corner, will the government nerf MediCare/caid payments to EMS for transports? Will transports be where the $$ is, or will it be in E-jobs? Alamo has been repositing itself for transports for several years (by accident or design). TransCare has been a NYC shuck bus company that is moving to E Jobs. MLSS & NDP still have a fairly good mix of 60-40 -60 E Jobs/transports. Which is the way the wind will blow?

[Goose 188]

Isn't now a good time to discuss County Wide, County operated municipal EMS?

It is always a good time to discuss that. Problem is the powers that be are concerned that 1) it will cost too much and 2) piss off too many vollies. I'm not making that up either.

It's so far beyond me how the residents of places like Westchester (with as much money as the governments have) or Dutchess (with as much money and problems/ambulance turf wars) allow the status quo to continue. It's abysmal.

That aside, i don't see how discussing rumors is beneficial here. We can all speculate until our fingers start to bleed. I've worked under the looming cloud of a takeover before and it's not exactly a pleasant experience.

[FFD941 20]

The other thing that we all must remember is that while "things" may or may not be in the works, we all have jobs to perform to the best of our trained abilities. We cannot let the distaste or dissatisfaction for whats going on put itself between us and our patient care. The pt didn't do anything to us so don't let it show.

[medic327 0]

Just so you know Transcare has multiple 911 contracts between NYC and Westchester county for years pior to getting contracts in Putnam and Dutchess. Also I think we should wait and see what happens and start talking to your elected officials and make them understand how important we as a group are and enough with the my company better than yours BS and remember why we got into this field in the first place and that to take care of people in need of help.