FAQ

What does Life Link III do?

Life Link III provides air medical transportation for patients in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and throughout the United States via helicopter and airplane ambulance. Life Link III provides on-scene emergency response and inter-facility transportation, caring for the most critically ill or injured patients. We complete over 2,000 patient transports a year.

Why is the company called Life Link III?

Life Link III originally provided three modes of patient transport, and the name references our commitment to linking communities and resources together for the care of patients by those three modes of transportation (helicopter, airplane and ground). The additional meaning of the name is a reference to the three original consortium members that started the company.

How many bases do you have?

Life Link III operates eleven helicopter bases located in Alexandria, Blaine, Brainerd, Detroit Lake, Duluth, Hibbing, Rush City and Willmar, Minnesota and Marshfield, Rhinelander, and Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

What is the Life Link III Consortium?

Life Link III is a nonprofit company comprised of the following member-owners: Allina Health, CentraCare Health, Children’s Minnesota, Essentia Health, Fairview Health Services, Regions Hospital/HealthPartners®, Hennepin Healthcare, Marshfield Clinic Health System, St. Luke’s, and Hospital Sisters Health Systems HAHA.

The Consortium is a responsible way to manage healthcare dollars and a great Midwest model of ten hospital systems cooperatively delivering the goals of the Triple Aim. As Consortium members, each organization can cost-effectively share an air medical transport service, rather than incurring the large expense of operating their own helicopters and airplanes. The members put any daily competition aside to produce one unified product and they operate with complete neutrality under Life Link III. Each member’s expertise contributes to Life Link III’s broad experience and Life Link III remains neutral in transport destination decisions.

Do you only transport patients to consortium member hospitals?

No, Life Link III transports patients to and from any hospital in the area, including into hospitals that are not Consortium members. Because this service is shared equally under the Consortium umbrella, there is no financial incentive for Life Link III to transport a patient to one hospital over another. Life Link III flies patients to the most appropriate hospital as determined by the referring EMS Agency, hospital medical staff or by the patient or patient’s family.