Independent, Not-for-profit Air Ambulance Programs Life Flight Network and Life Link III to Partner on Safety, Quality, Training and Advocacy

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. and AURORA, Ore., Dec. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Two independent, hospital-owned, not-for-profit air ambulance programs, Life Flight Network and Life Link III, today announced the signing of a letter of intent to launch a strategic alliance. This alliance will bring the organizations together to collaborate on best practices, process improvement, quality initiatives, and safety, all with a focus on the patients and communities they serve.

The alliance formalizes a long-standing collaborative relationship between the two organizations. Life Flight Network and Life Link III are similarly structured air medical consortiums, with each program utilizing similar onboard medical equipment and operating many of the same aircraft models. Together they have shared their resources and expertise over the years, drawing on the best of each organization's prowess.  Executive leadership from both organizations will now meet routinely, establishing benchmarks and metrics that promote shared learning and raise the bar on industry standards. 

"With shared interests, challenges, and values, we believe working together will give both organizations a greater voice in the air medical industry, as well as strengthen not-for-profit air medical programs at large" said Life Flight Network Interim CEO Ben Clayton. "While both programs remain independent, our employees, patients, customers and the communities we serve will benefit from the collective expertise and resources of our programs."

Under their respective healthcare consortium ownership, this alliance is the foundation for a unique "consortium of consortiums" concept that will bring together a number of leading health systems to collaborate and ensure access to critical care transport and life-saving resources is preserved.

"Life Link III and Life Flight Network are respected, industry-leading programs who share an unwavering commitment to strong cultures of safety and exceedingly high excellence in patient care," said Josh Howell, Life Link III's CEO. "As both organizations share proven track records of innovation, growth and enhanced safety training, I'm thrilled about the launch of this not-for-profit air medical alliance that will strengthen both programs and deepen our commitment to serving our employees, our patients and our communities even better in the future." 

Headquartered in Aurora, Oregon, Life Flight Network operates 25 bases across Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and Montana. Life Link III operates 10 bases across Minnesota and Wisconsin and is headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota. Both organizations have been honored as Program of the Year by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), with Life Link III being honored in 2017 and Life Flight Network in 2009 and 2021.

ABOUT LIFE FLIGHT NETWORK
Life Flight Network, a not-for-profit air medical service, is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS), the National Accreditation Alliance of Medical Transport Applications (NAAMTA), and Helicopter Association International (HAI). Life Flight Network is the largest not-for-profit air medical transport service in the United States and maintains its own FAA Part 135 Operating Certificate. It offers ICU-level care during air transport across the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West. Headquartered in Aurora, Oregon, Life Flight Network is owned by a consortium of Legacy Health, Oregon Health and Science University, Providence Health and Services, and Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. For more information about Life Flight Network or to become a member, visit www.lifeflight.org.

About Life Link III
Life Link III operates ten helicopter bases that include Alexandria, Blaine, Brainerd, Duluth, Hibbing, Rush City and Willmar in Minnesota, and Marshfield, Rhinelander and Rice Lake in Wisconsin. The company plans to open its eleventh helicopter base in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, in spring 2022. The company's helicopter and airplane services provide on-scene emergency response and inter-facility transport for patients requiring critical care. Life Link III's transportation services are accredited by CAMTS (Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transportation Systems), ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety are met. Life Link III is a not-for-profit consortium made up of the following member-owner organizations: Allina Health, CentraCare Health, Children's Minnesota, Essentia Health, M Health Fairview, Regions Hospital/HealthPartners^®, Hennepin Healthcare, Marshfield Clinic Health System, St. Luke's, and HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital/St. Joseph's. Learn more at www.lifelinkiii.com.

SOURCE Life Flight Network