AMR takeover

[jwraider]

Just wondering if anyone cares to speak about any experience they have when AMR takes over a new county? Are the current EMTs and Paramedics often retained?

The contract is up for bid where I work and AMR is the only competitor. Currently our company upholds a 98% compliance with response times. AMR as I understand it averages around 95% and in this bid has committed to providing less hours for employees (which I think means less ambulances). To me these two things add up to if AMR takes over some of the workforce has to go even though our union (which happens to represent employees from both companies which blows) says no one will lose their job that qualifies for AMR employment. Does AMR does shift full time people to part time in order to avoid firing them but match their operational goals?

This isn't intended to bash AMR but more understand how things work in these situations. It is what it is....

[Lone Star]

From what I"ve seen in the past, when AMR comes in, things tend to go to Hell in a handbasket rather quickly.

In Michigan, AMR went on a 'dominating rampage', and drove most small companies out of business, or assimilated them. Once they had pretty well locked down a county, they quickly developed a reputation for 'jumping calls', staging ambulances in other companies' territories, and in general, tried to drive the companies that they couldn't/wouldn't assimilate out of business.

In Michigan, AMR has at least 12 different labor unions, and has had their contacts either cancelled, or they weren't able to renegotiate them. AMR (to the best of my knowledge) has pretty well been driven out of every county in Michigan because of their way of 'doing business'. The problem that creates, is now you have an area that has no EMS coverage, and companies are either scrambling to pick up the slack, or the citizens don't have much (if any) EMS coverage.

AMR seems to forget that in the quest to become the largest EMS provider, you have to remember that there are things like employee/employer relations, and patient care must be placed above grabbing 'real estate'

[BUMPEMT]

You can do what you want to , to do . I can only speak for my experience as a former employee and New Jersey EMT.AMR's reputation in New Jersey is atrrocious.They had to pull out of our State once and they use all there subcompany names to avoid Wage and Hour complaints. I was working a subcompany I didn't even know about.They will cut a buck anywhere and that goes for services and employees. They are the only company I have ever worked for that will not keep Defibs on trucks cause they cost to much. New Jersey transport trucks have no defibs They maybe transport but Still Do FACILITY Ems.... AND WE ARGUED THAT WITH THEM AND THE STATE FOR YEARS I can't tell you what to do but if you value your certifications and self worth as an EMT I'd run. I would also if I were you contact Medicaid and Medicare nationallly and see the complaints that have been filed and decide for yourself.

Edited July 10, 2009 by BUMPEMT

[HERBIE1]

AMR is all about the money. They attempted a hostile takeover here and drove many companies either out of business or forced them to consolidate. They wanted to take over 911 calls but realized a 30% reimbursement rate wasn't going to help their bottom line. They left.

Good luck.

[Dustdevil]

AMR taking over is just like Obama taking over. They immediately start blaming the previous administration for all their problems. They use that as an excuse for being unable to fix any of the problems they promised to fix. Then they start taking more money from you for all these new programs that are supposed to fix the problems that will never be fixed. They increase the size of the upper management staff, yet quickly start replacing medics with basics in the field, as well as in dispatch. They focus a crippling percentage of their resources on social services (transfers), while neglecting essential emergency services. Then, when they can't meet response time expectations, they encourage more involvement of the FD as first responders. And when the FD finally wises up and says, "Hey, screw it. Why don't we just do it all and keep the money for ourselves?", AMR acts indignantly surprised that they lost their contract.

[dmatmka]

In reply to your concerns about AMR. I have been employed with AMR as a Union Memember for 13 years. My experience with them is they generally try to keep current employee's working when they do a Take Over.

[Kaisu]

My service was a "mom and pop" organization that ran about 30,000 calls per year. It was purchased by AMR approximately 9 months before I started. The transition was difficult for some. AMR sent evaluators in. The upshot was "it isn't broken - leave it alone." The local middle management was left in place, with some reshuffling, and anyone that left did it because they chose to. No one was fired. Over the year that I've been there, I have watched some really good changes, including accountability and implementation of professional FTO programs, etc. Opportunities for people have expanded, giving employees the chance to grow if they want to. The benefits are outstanding - medical, dental, eye care, 401K, etc. The pay still sucks. The paid time off is terrific. After 8 months, I took 2 1/2 weeks off (two 48s) with full pay and still have 50 plus hours at my disposal.

Are there still problems? Well yeah - it is EMS, but all in all, the takeover has been good for the employees and for the public we serve.

[jwraider]

Seems like there may be a big difference between AMR's west and east divisions.

It's nice to hear people kept their jobs.

Where I am the current company is doing a very good job overall but AMR pays more so the employees are focused on that I think.

[Dustdevil]

Are there still problems? Well yeah - it is EMS, but all in all, the takeover has been good for the employees and for the public we serve.

That's the irony. AMR definitely brings a level of professionalism that is almost always a significant improvement for the employees and the public. I've never seen it go the other way. But on a contractual performance level, it almost always seems to be the opening of a bottomless money pit of failure that never meets expectations.

[WolfmanHarris]

That's the irony. AMR definitely brings a level of professionalism that is almost always a significant improvement for the employees and the public. I've never seen it go the other way. But on a contractual performance level, it almost always seems to be the opening of a bottomless money pit of failure that never meets expectations.

Style over substance? It's a large company; clean trucks, spiffy uniforms, a slick operations and good PR will convince the general populace for quite awhile that they're being well served. The majority of them won't deal directly with the service and until obligations are missed chronically and the company can't spin it anymore in the media the cracks can be well painted over.

Hell works for Fire. Say "9/11" or "Johnny and Roy" enough times and you can convince the public that NYC and LA have the best systems in the world based on that reputation alone.