Representatives from Floyd Medical Center and Redmond Regional Medical Center have begun to explore the benefits and feasibility of arranging for a single EMS provider to meet the emergency medical needs of Floyd, Polk and Chattooga counties.

According to a statement released from Floyd Medical Center, both hospitals believe that a single EMS provider would provide be able to provide more cost-effective, efficient coordinated and comprehensive services for this region than the current model allows.

It is not clear at this point how the proposed change to a single EMS provider would affect Chattooga County, but Chattooga County Commissioner Jason Winters is saying that Redmond had contractual obligations to Chattooga County that must be adhered too should any merger or buy-out take place.

(AM 1180)