Seton, St. David's competing for STAR Flight headquarters

Seton, St. David's competing for STAR Flight headquarters

By Patrick Brendel Tuesday, 16 February 2010

AUSTIN — UPDATED: February 17, 2010

Travis County Commissioners are considering competing bids from Austin's two hospital systems to decide where to base the Austin–Travis County EMS System's STAR Flight helicopters. Both Seton Family of Hospitals and St. David's HealthCare have offered to pay for a new facility.

Additionally, Seton has offered to give an unrestricted gift of $3.2 million to the county. St. David's has offered a $1.6 million donation that would go toward the purchase of a third STAR Flight helicopter. St. David’s total donation would be around $3.2 million, Senior Vice President Mark Clayton said, after accounting for about $1.6 million for a new crew headquarters, new helipad, fuel system and extension of utilities.

Commissioners will hear presentations from the hospitals during their next meeting Feb. 23. Danny Hobby, executive manager emergency services, recommended that commissioners accept Seton's offer. However, he said that either one of the proposals would be an improvement over the current situation.

The helicopters would continue to serve hospitals and residents in Travis and surrounding counties. Currently the county has two helicopters—one based at Seton's University Medical Center at Brackenridge, and one based at a separate STAR Flight hangar.

Hobby said he tried to secure a deal that involved both hospitals, but those negotiations ultimately failed.

Commissioners also heard a proposal Tuesday to purchase a third STAR Flight helicopter, which would cost $7.2 million. Both items—the hospitals' proposals and the purchase of the new helicopter—will be considered again during the Feb. 23 meeting.

If Seton's offer is accepted, then the helicopters would be based at Brackenridge and Dell Children's Medical Center of Texas. If St. David's offer is accepted, the helicopters would be based at St. David's North Austin Medical Center at MoPac and Parmer Lane, and at Brackenridge.

STAR (Shock Trauma Air Rescue) started in 1985, and partnered shortly after with Brackenridge hospital. The helicopters began serving St. David's in 2007.

Hobby said that decisions on which hospital to send a patient to will continue to be determined by healthcare professionals according to the individual circumstances of the patient.