Info

Vital Link exists to provide high quality emergency, medical transportation, and related services to the people of our service area. Employees, managers, and board members must work together to make this mission a reality. Vital Link has adopted a working philosophy of management and leadership to guide managers and to increase employee understanding and collaboration. Vital Link, Inc. is a private, public benefit corporation operated independently by a local Board of Directors. As a not for profit, Vital Link is classified by the IRS as 501 (c) (3) corporation. The advantages of being a not for profit are many, a few include that there are no owners or share holders that take assets and cash out of the organization, all the income generated by operations is used to enhance patient care and secure future capacity, and the organization undergoes an independent financial and operational audit annually. Vital Link is one of the oldest continuously operations ambulance services in the state of Arkansas, serving Independence County since November 7, 1983. Vital Link began serving all of Mountain View and Stone County April 5, 1999. Vital Link began operations in the City of Clinton in Van Buren County on November 1, 2005. Vital Link is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors that assures Vital Link's long term well being, its financial condition, and its capacity to provide services and fulfill its mission. Vital Link benefits from the collective wisdom and community commitment of its directors. Directors are individuals from all over the service area with special expertise and business acumen that volunteer their time to assure high quality ambulance services to the citizens of our service area. The Board of Directors follows a set of established Board By-Law. The Vital Link Board of Directors has delegated the responsibility for daily operations to the Chief Executive Officer. The CEO and the management team comprised of Chief Financial Officer, Fleet and Facilities Director, Clinical Operations Director and clinical and dispatch supervisors lead the administrative, clinical, fleet, and dispatch staff to accomplish the Vital Link mission. Vital Link management team leads by establishing relationships, goal setting, teaching, empowering, evaluating, correcting, and rewarding. Communication is vital to organizational success and every employee is asked to provide input as well as being continuously informed of Vital Link programs and activities. Vital Link managers strive to create a positive, patient centered, excellence oriented work environment. Dr. Glen Knowles, D.O., Certified American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine, serves as Vital Link's Medical Director. Dr. Knowles oversees medical services by leading in Vital Link's extensive continuous quality improvement program, approving Vital Link medical and dispatch protocols and procedures, reviewing patient care and medical documentation, and providing medical education to clinical staff. Vital Link medical protocols are provided to each hospital that receives Vital Link patients. Dr. Knowles meets with the medical staff of each hospital in Vital Link's service area at least annually to discuss emergency medical care, protocol revisions, and provide an update of emergency care and practices. Vital Link uses policies and procedures to establish and communicate its purpose, organization, governance, standards, work requirements, methods, programs, and services. Policy and procedures manuals establish a consistent system for managing daily operations and to ensure that applicable regulations and laws are followed. The Vital Link Policy and Procedure Manual (VLPPM) sets forth company wide policies for organizational activities, its management team, and all employees. Vital Link guidelines that address employment are provided as the Vital Link Personnel Policy Manual (PPM). Department procedures exist as guides for employees of each department and include Clinical Operations Manual (COPM), Dispatch Procedures Manual (DPM), Finance Department Policy and Procedure Manual (FDPPM), Patient Accounts Department Policy and Procedure Manual (PAPP), and the Fleet and Facilities Policies and Procedures (FFPP). Vital Link recognizes that in the course of organizational activities, conditions may arise that are insufficiently addressed in these policies. In such cases, Vital Link managers will endeavor to make operational decisions that are consistent with Vital Link values, the intent of these policies and procedure manuals, and that endeavor to provide customer satisfaction, employee safety, and organizational effectiveness.