Making sure you get the medical help you need when you need it is the goal of Door County Medical Center and Door County teaming up on a transport service agreement. Before 2018, Door County Medical Center worked with Para Tran to get patients needing additional care to hospitals in Green Bay. When that company went out of business, Door County Medical Center was forced to contract with Door County Emergency Services and paratransit companies in Green Bay to fill the service gap. What was supposed to be a short-term solution has lasted for four years, with the wait times in Door County Medical Center’s emergency room getting longer. Door County Medical Center President and CEO Brian Stephens spoke at the September 13th Door County Judiciary and Public Safety Committee about a new agreement that would reimburse the county for the service so it would not hurt taxpayers. Speaking to the Door County Daily News a few days later, he says he hopes to rely more on local people that the community trusts while serving everyone better.

Stephens says the new agreement will likely have to go through the entire budget process before the Door County Board of Supervisors can approve the agreement. Door County Medical Center averages approximately 700 patient transfers every year.

You can listen to our full interview with Stephens by clicking this link.