Salt Lake City, UT -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/02/2021 --Intermountain Healthcare's acquisition of Classic Air Medical, a leading air medical transport company that serves patients in eight western states, has been finalized and Classic is now officially part of Intermountain. Plans for the acquisition were announced last April.

Classic, which is headquartered in North Salt Lake, Utah, operates 28 aircraft (16 rotary-wing and 12 fixed-wing units), and covers much of the same footprint as Intermountain's telehealth service network, which creates benefits for residents in rural communities.

Additionally, Classic's multi-state, community-based operation is distinct and complementary to Intermountain Life Flight's hospital-based structure. Classic completed approximately 5,000 flights in 2020. It has 22 bases primarily located in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Alaska.

The addition of Classic illustrates Intermountain's commitment to rural healthcare and enhances the health system's ability to serve rural communities throughout the Intermountain West. Specifically, the acquisition will enable Intermountain to expand support of physicians, clinics, and hospitals across the region through additional coordination with telehealth and digital care.

For example, as caregivers in rural hospitals and clinics use telehealth, they may determine that patients need higher acuity, more specialized care. Classic makes it easier to transport those patients to the nearest medical facilities that are best equipped to care for them.

"We're excited to welcome the Classic Air Medical team to Intermountain and look forward to working together to further enhance the quality of life and access to care for residents throughout the Intermountain West," said Marc Harrison, MD, Intermountain CEO and President.

Intermountain will maintain Classic as an independent group and does not plan to consolidate it with the Intermountain Life Flight air medical program, however, both groups will benefit from shared learning, strengths, and best practices.

Classic will continue focusing on patients and communities it serves and the requesting agencies with which it partners. Intermountain retained the Classic leadership team, as well as the approximately 400 Classic employees, most of whom are pilots, flight nurses, and paramedics.

"We're excited to join with Intermountain to continue to serve patients and communities in our service areas, and ensure they have access to high-value, coordinated care as close to home as possible," said Tony Henderson, chief executive officer of Classic. "This is an exciting milestone and great things are ahead as we work together to build a model health system."

About Intermountain
Intermountain Healthcare is a nonprofit system of 25 hospitals, 225 clinics, a Medical Group with 2,600 employed physicians and advanced practice clinicians, a health insurance company called SelectHealth, and other health services in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada. Intermountain is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes and sustainable costs.