By Gordon Anderson | gordon@rantnc.com
An ambulance provider Lee County commissioners selected to negotiate a new EMS contract with made claims during the bidding process about its 911 experience that don’t appear to align with its existing contracts.
MedEx, a medical transport service based in Ahoskie, was chosen in a party-line vote in October for negotiations with the Lee County Board of Commissioners. The company bid about $8.2 million, compared with $20.87 million from the current provider, FirstHealth of the Carolinas. The board’s four Republicans voted for MedEx; its three Democrats voted to remain with FirstHealth.
The contract is not yet finalized, as the county must hold multiple readings of the negotiated franchise agreement. The county’s next EMS contract will last through 2030.
MedEx Chief Operating Officer Jeff White told commissioners on Oct. 6 that “one of the most surprising claims (against MedEx) that surprised us was our inexperience.”
“In the past five years we’ve run 330,000 transports,” he said. “We are established as a North Carolina-based EMS provider that does provide 911 service under contract to Forsyth County.”
But a review of MedEx’s Forsyth County contract shows something different. The agreement covers non-emergency ambulance service and allows the company to handle emergency calls only when specifically authorized by the county’s emergency services director. Any such responses are considered support or backup, not routine 911 coverage. The contract also requires MedEx staff to immediately contact Forsyth 911 Communications if a situation arises that might require advanced life support.
Two weeks later, on Oct. 20, MedEx CEO Dillon Lowe addressed the Lee County board and expanded on the company’s operations statewide. He cited relationships with hospital systems in Fayetteville, Durham, Salisbury and other cities, and again referenced Forsyth, describing MedEx as a “co-primary” ambulance provider in that county.
“We give them two 24-hour trucks and currently we’re providing over 7,000 calls per year, which is in line with what this contract calls for in Lee County,” Lowe said.
Democratic Commissioner Mark Lovick, who later voted to enter negotiations with FirstHealth, pressed Lowe for details about the company’s current franchises. Lowe said MedEx holds 12 other franchise agreements in North Carolina, all non-emergency, but called the Forsyth arrangement “a unique setup.”
“We do critical-care level emergency trips inter-facility,” he said. “They’re not county-based calls, but hospital calls – mostly higher acuity than most 911 calls.”
When Lovick asked whether MedEx serves as the sole primary ambulance provider in any county, Lowe replied, “None as the only person, but we have more than enough experience to handle (Lee County’s needs).”
Efforts to reach MedEx for additional comment were unsuccessful. Board Chairman Kirk Smith, the only commissioner to respond to an email, said he would “defer comment at this time” while the board is still deliberating the franchise agreement.
The Lee County Board of Commissioners’ next scheduled meeting is November 17. The meeting agenda hasn’t been released.