Eleven stations of West Shore Advanced Life Support Services (WSALS), located in Cumberland, Franklin, Perry and York counties are now a part of Penn State Health. WSALS has been providing prehospital emergency and nonemergency services to the community and ensuring patients in need get care as quickly as possible for more than 35 years. The stations and their staffs, including emergency medical technicians, paramedics, prehospital nurses and prehospital doctors, were officially welcomed into Penn State Health today.
Penn State Health and WSALS will continue to provide the high-quality, compassionate care its patients have come to know. The affiliation will allow first responders to offer patients enhanced access to the primary and specialty care of Penn State Health, in coordination with Penn State Heath’s West Shore hospitals, Hampden Medical Center and Holy Spirit Medical Center. As part of the transition, Penn State Health will honor all subscriptions between community members and WSALS.
“Penn State Health is excited to be partnering with a medical service that has spent more than 30 years serving so many of the residents of central Pennsylvania,” said Don McKenna, regional president of Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center and Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center. “WSALS and Penn State Health share the same commitment to exceptional patient care.”
Since its start in 1985, WSALS has been recognized as a leading resource for critical and prehospital care in the region. The stations of WSALS joining Penn State Health will become part of Penn State Health Life Lion, LLC. Penn State Health Life Lion, LLC, will manage the health system’s prehospital medicine program, in coordination with Life Lion Emergency Medical Services at Penn State Health’s flagship Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
“Penn State Health’s reputation and our shared mission of providing our patients with thoughtful, timely care will make the transition easy,” said Dr. Salvatore Alfano, medical director of WSALS. “We look forward to partnering to continue serving our community for many decades to come.”