HALO gets long sought-after provincial funding
After years of advocacy, HALO is in final negotiations for base operating grants, Premier Jason Kenney announced March 31.
During his visit to Medicine Hat, Kenney made a stop at the HALO hangar where he, joined by Health Minister Jason Copping, Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA Michaela Frey and HALO CEO Paul Carolan, announced the expected funding stemming from a potential five-year contract between HALO and Alberta Health Services.
“For the first time, HALO will be offered guaranteed funding and a contract with Alberta Health Services moving from a feefor-service model to $1 million in annual guaranteed funding,” Kenney said.
In the past, HALO has operated under a fee-for-service model, where it would receive a sum for each call responded to. As there was no guaranteed stream of income, much of HALO’s $3-million budget was generated through partnerships with regional municipalities and community service organizations, fundraising and private donations.
Health Minister Jason Copping stated the guaranteed funding of $1 million would provide stable income for HALO and ensure its continued servicing of southern Alberta.
“The funding commitment is up to 50 per cent in terms of the base-operating funding,” Copping said. “There needs to be a discussion between AHS and the organization about how that’s going to work … I understand there are other revenue flows as well.”
Carolan is grateful for the expected partnership but emphasized the continued need for local support.
“This represents the missing partnership HALO has been advocating for for almost 20 years,” Carolan said during last Thursday’s press conference. “It not only allows us to continue to provide the level of service we have up until now, but it also gives us room to grow into an even better, worldclass helicopter emergency medical service program, based right here in Medicine Hat.
“We will still be working with rural municipalities. We’ve been extremely fortunate to have some incredible relationships with communities, rural municipalities, operations, service groups, individuals which made us get by … HALO’s been a program which is a bit-month-to-month.
“We didn’t always know where the next payment is coming from. So, this enables us … to plan to have some strategic, longterm goals (and) lots of big-picture questions we couldn’t ask ourselves before because we worked so diligently and so hard just to make sure we had enough money in the bank to keep flying.”
Local representatives present at the press conference voiced support for HALO as they near a contract with AHS.
“Both publicly and behind the scenes, we’ve advocated for this sustainable funding,” Hamilton said in a Thursday press release. “This is fantastic news for our county’s residents, whose lives can depend upon the speed with which HALO can get to remote areas … Knowing there is a steady stream of funding for this essential service allows us all to breathe easier.”
Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA Michaela Frey, who Kenney cited as being a vocal proponent of the contract, is also in support.
“This deal has been a long time coming. This stable and predictable funding is not only well-deserved, but essential for rural Alberta,” Frey said.
Beyond the HALO contract, Kenney also announced a new $2-million, five-year contract for HERO, which operates in northeastern Alberta.
“The three main providers – STARS, HERO and HALO – will be funded at the same ratio of their operating costs,” Copping said. “This funding … provides organizations like HERO and HALO with the balance needed to sustain the critical service, due to high capital and operating costs. It means they can continue to respond to calls for medical transport now and into the future. (It) provides predictable funding and brings all operators under new contracts with AHS.
“Entering into a formal agreement with AHS means having a more integrated approach to providing air ambulance services across our entire province. This will improve oversight and include added operational and financial reporting to insure quality, safe and efficient care.”
Budget 2022 invests more than $10 million in additional funding for HERO, HALO and Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (STARS), bringing the total provincial support for helicopter air ambulance operators to more than $18 million in guaranteed annual funding.
Quick facts
• Budget 2022 includes $64 million in additional funding for emergency medical services (EMS) to respond to high demand and stress on staff, including $28 million in supports for ground and helicopter air ambulance services.
• Helicopter air ambulance service is the most expensive form of EMS per patient transport.
• HALO is based in Medicine Hat and serves southern Alberta. In 2019-20, HALO flew 38 missions.
• Though HALO does not have an existing or historical contract with AHS, as they are paid based on a feefor-service model, they received about $200,000 last year for the air ambulance services.
• The Alberta EMS Provincial Advisory Committee is developing recommendations to address EMS system pressures. A subcommittee, which includes key partners, will focus on further strengthening air ambulance services.
• An objective review of the EMS dispatch system will also include air ambulance dispatch processes. The independent review of the dispatch system is expected to be completed this fall.