Erlanger Senior Vice President Roger Forgey said the hospital's LifeForce helicopter partnership with Med-Trans has worked out well for the hospital.
He said Erlanger received $12.1 million in the deal, and he said the hospital avoids $20 million in capital investment it was facing to upgrade the fleet.
Mr. Forgey said Med-Trans has kept its bargain of providing new helicopters, including one at Calhoun. He said a replacement for Sparta will be in March and for the Chattanooga copter will be in May.
Med-Trans keeps money charged for the flight to Erlanger or other hospitals, but Erlanger receives payment from trauma patients treated at the hospital.
He said helicopter operators now face more stringent rules on flying in bad weather. He also said there were enhanced operating requirements for six months after the transfer.
Mr. Forgey said helicopter flights have been curtailed recently because of ice and thunderstorms.
He said not all of the flights are for trauma patients, but for those with strokes and other problems who need specialized care.
He said not all LifeForce flights end at Erlanger, but in critical situations in lands at the closest trauma facility.
In other matters, Brit Tabor, Erlanger finance officer, said the hospital had a $1.1 million loss for January. The hospital had budgeted for a profit of $612,626.
For the fiscal year-to-date, the hospital is $2.76 million in the red. It had budgeted for $3.88 million.