PHILADELPHIA, April 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JeffSTAT, Jefferson Health’s medical transportation service, and Air Methods, the nation’s leading air medical services provider, have partnered together as part of a carbon offset program with the National Forest Foundation—the first of its kind in the air medical services field.

Air Methods and Jefferson Health together provide approximately 2,300 patient flights per year. As part of this partnership, every patient flight this year will result in eight trees planted in national forests across the United States.

“We recognize the importance of finding innovative solutions to mitigate the impact of climate change and improve environmental health in our communities,” said Baligh R. Yehia, MD, President, Jefferson Health. “This collaborative partnership with Air Methods and the National Forest Foundation underscores Jefferson’s commitment to improving lives while working to create a more sustainable future for generations to come.”

This initiative will result in nearly 20,000 new trees planted. With one hundred trees being able to remove 430 pounds of air pollutants in one year alone, this partnership will provide enough trees to balance the carbon produced by jet fuel from the JeffSTAT program annually.

“As the air medical leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure we are doing our part to protect our environments. By partnering with JeffSTAT on this program, we are demonstrating our commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship,” said Air Methods CEO JaeLynn Williams. “By supporting reforestation efforts, we can contribute to the well-being of the local communities we serve and the ecosystems where our flights operate.”

There are 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands in the United States. The National Forest Foundation works to ensure that the right trees are planted in the right areas during the right time of year, based on where there is the greatest need. Reforesting national forests helps to improve air quality, mitigate climate change, generate fresh water and provides a habitat for thousands of plant, fish and wildlife species.

Jefferson Health’s new carbon offset program is one of many ways that the organization is working to improve environmental health. Among Jefferson’s other sustainability-related endeavors, include: LEED certification and energy-friendly lighting in the Honickman Center, the health system’s new state-of-the-art medical facility.

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About Jefferson    

Nationally ranked, Jefferson, which is principally located in the greater Philadelphia region and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 43,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow's professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research. Thomas Jefferson University, home of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Jefferson College of Nursing, and the Kanbar College of Design, Engineering and Commerce, dates back to 1824 and today comprises 10 colleges and three schools offering 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 8,300 students. Jefferson Health, nationally ranked as one of the top healthcare systems in the country and the largest provider in the Philadelphia area, serves patients through millions of encounters each year at 17 hospitals and more than 160 outpatient and urgent care locations throughout the region. Jefferson Health Plans is a not-for-profit managed health care organization providing a broad range of health coverage options in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for more than 35 years.  

About Air Methods 

Air Methods (airmethods.com) is the nation’s leading air medical service delivering lifesaving care to more than 100,000 people every year. With over 40 years of air medical experience, Air Methods is the preferred partner for hospitals and one of the largest community-based providers of air medical services. United Rotorcraft is the Company’s products division specializing in the design and manufacture of aeromedical and aerospace technology. Air Methods’ fleet of owned, leased, or maintained aircraft features more than 400 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.  

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• Jefferson Health partners with Air Methods in carbon offset program
• Jefferson Health partners with Air Methods in carbon offset program