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Renewed EMS Service Debate In South Jersey

(CAMDEN, NJ) -- Could there be another battle brewing two major South Jersey healthcare providers over providing EMS services? There was a meeting Tuesday morning between Camden County elected officials and one of those providers.

The session was organized by county officials inviting mayors to discuss, among other things, an upgraded communications system and concerns over response times by EMS units.

Cooper Health recently replaced Virtua in providing primary ambulance service in the city of Camden and has been touting better response times.

Virtua, contending the move was made at the behest of Cooper chairman and Democratic party power broker George Norcross, unsuccessfully fought the action in court.

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The county invited Cooper to attend the meeting, but not Virtua, which still provides most of the EMS service throughout Camden County.

Virtua is worried about history, as they see it, repeating itself.

"There was political forces at work to essentially undermine the great work that Virtua EMS has a track record of providing for a long period of time," Virtua Vice President Mike Kotzen told KYW Newsradio.

The invitation letter, sent to mayors earlier this month notes "response times in some municipalities were woefully inadequate. This is a life or death issue that deserves our immediate attention. The Board of Freeholders would like to assist municipalities in finding the best possible service for residents."

The national standard for ambulance response time is 8 minutes from dispatch to the location where help is needed.

Kotzen says he had a chance to talk with county officials before the meeting, but that the hospital now wants to meet with freeholders to discuss, at least, the apparent slight.

Camden County Freeholder Director Lou Cappelli confirmed discussions with Virtua before the meeting, but insists there's nothing to worry about.

"I've been told by folks at Cooper that they have no interest in providing the service that Virtua's providing throughout the Camden County suburbs," Cappelli said.

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