Spectrum Health Aero Med Returns to Service

Spectrum Health Aero Med returned to providing medical air transport service today at 4:15 p.m. The decision to return to the air was made after collaborative discussions between Aero Med and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Aero Med voluntarily grounded its helicopters after the discovery last Thursday of an incomplete FAA-required training form.

“This was an oversight in the completion of a required training document and was not an issue of appropriate training,” said Robert Hubers, MD, Aero Med’s Medical and Program Director. “We take the FAA-required training of our pilots and staff very seriously and took immediate action to ensure and confirm training. We were pleased to find a quick resolution to this administrative oversight.”

Spectrum Health executives were grateful for the support and understanding from EMS agencies during this time.

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system, based in West Michigan, offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of 11 hospitals including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital; 170 ambulatory and service sites; 1,080 employed physicians and advanced practice providers including members of the Spectrum Health Medical Group; and Priority Health, a 575,000-member health plan. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer with 21,300 employees. The organization provided $250 million in community benefit during its 2013 fiscal year.