Porter hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Nalli indicated Thursday that whether the hospital will continue to provide countywide ambulance service in three years is very much up in the air.

Porter hospital has a contract with Porter County government to continue the Porter EMS service through 2011. The county subsidizes the ambulance service with $500,000 annually.

An audience member at the Porter County Chamber Coalition luncheon Thursday asked Nalli if the now for-profit hospital will continue to provide ambulance service.

Nalli responded that by noting that the hospital must provide the service through 2011 under the current contract. “Past that, I haven’t given it much thought,” he said.

He praised the current PMS-EMS staff and said he would like to retain them. He also said the hospital’s current strategy with respect to the ambulance service is to adjust where needed to meet the needs. He noted the Valparaiso Fire Department’s recent move to begin an EMS service of its own prompted some changes in how Porter hospital provides EMS service in the city.

Posted 5/28/2008