CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — STAT MedEvac may be leaving the Clarion Hospital, but they won’t be saying goodbye to Clarion County.

(PHOTO: STAT ME 6 flight crew, Tim (PHRN), Jim (Pilot), & Eric (FP-C) looking forward to moving into the new ME6 base at the Clarion Co. Airport.)

The air transport system which provides emergency health care has been located at Clarion Hospital for 22 years. It will now be located at the Clarion County Airport.

It is based at the Allegheny County Airport and is owned by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).

A contract change at Clarion Hospital has led to STAT MedEvac moving out and LifeFlight moving in.

In March, Allegheny Health Network began staffing Clarion Hospital with emergency room physicians, and on May 1, AHN will provide the air service with LifeFlight, which it owns.

“It’s really just a business decision,” said Dan Nakles, business relations and development manager for STAT MedEvac. “We have a long and good relationship with Clarion County, and we want to continue that.”

“We’ve made a lot of friends here, and we plan to stay in touch with the community.”

Nakles explained how STAT MedEvac will continue to provide urgent medical care in not only Clarion County, but in the adjacent counties.

“911 dispatch will send the closest available agency, so we will still be busy in the area,” Nakle said. “You can look at a map and see which service would be called.”

“And, if the hospital calls us to take someone, we will be available. Anyone can call us for service.”

Nakle also explained that STAT MedEvac responds to calls in all the other surrounding counties in the region, including Jefferson, Forest, Venango, Armstrong, and Butler.