New Mount Nittany Health Ambulance Designed to Address Growing Need for High-Flow Oxygen Transportation

A new ambulance at Mount Nittany Health Emergency Medical Services is designed to meet the challenges presented by the rising need for high-flow oxygen transportation.

The health system has seen a growing number of patients who need to be administered high-flow oxygen during transport, which requires more space and a system to prevent patient discomfort, according to a news release.

So Mount Nittany’s Department of Emergency Medical Services designed the newest ambulance, a 2022 Ford F-550 Horton, to give patients and EMS personnel more space and allow for dual high-flow oxygen tanks. The ambulance doubles capacity to transport those patients greater distances.

“We’ve seen an increase in requests for transport of patients on ventilators and high-flow oxygen devices,” Rich Kelley, Mount Nittany Health Emergency Medicine Services manager, said in a statement. “The specifications for the new ambulance were to have dual onboard oxygen tanks that make long distance transports on high-flow oxygen possible.”

Kelley also worked with respiratory care clinical supervisor Lucas Mortimer to request request specific updates to ventilators Mount Nittany Health was purchasing.

“Along with this new ventilator, Lucas provided training for the equipment, which is commonly recommended for severe respiratory patients, especially some patients affected by COVID-19,” Kelley said.

The new ambulance also has LiquidSprings suspension for smoother ride and a TV with streaming capabilities to entertain pediatric patients.

Mount Nittany’s EMS has two ambulances, one critical care level and one advanced life support level. Last year the service responded to more than 4,450 incidents and transported more than 1,400 patients in ambulance and wheelchair vans, while also supporting inter-facility transports averaging 200 miles per trip.

It supports emergency services in Centre County and a portion of Huntingdon County from locations at Mount Nittany Medical Center Bellefonte. Average distance traveled responding to 911 calls for Mount Nittany Health EMS is 26 miles per dispatch.

“The services our EMS teams provide is vital to caring for patients in our community,” Dr. Kasandra Botti, EMS director for Mount Nittany Health, said. “We commend their thoughtfulness and teamwork in helping this project come together.”