While Macon is one of the few areas of Georgia with a call density high enough to support a high quality EMS system without direct governmental subsidy, survival in this type of environment requires on-going quality service at competitive prices, along with a strong culture of customer service. Mid Georgia Ambulance Service has established a strong reputation in an area where no long-term contracts provide support if levels of customer satisfaction drop, or if cash flow collections falter. Mid Georgia Ambulance Service must win customer loyalty every day, not only when contract negotiations time comes around. As management trends have changed and new terms have come into vogue in the past decade, Mid Georgia Ambulance Service has continued with the managerial philosophy that has built the company. The Emergency Medical Technicians working in the ambulance ARE the company, and so they must be entrusted with the authority to do what is right for the patient at all times.
Every employee is vested with significant responsibility to protect the patient.
This is no more clearly seen than in the point that each employee is given the authority to write-off any patient's bill for which it seems appropriate to do so. If paying for ambulance service will add significant hardship to an already difficult situation, MGA employees have the authority to tell the patient that there will be no charge for the service that is rendered. We believe that if our employees can be trusted to give life-saving medications and to operate their vehicles in incredibly dangerous situations, they also must be trusted with the financial health of the company. This ability to discount the patient's bill also constantly reminds every employee that the patient's needs are first and that MGA stands behind its employees in the decisions that they make for their patients. EMS care at MGA is protocol-driven from the receipt of call to the completion of the patient encounter.