AirCurrents
Air Life’s longtime leader hands the reins to another of the industry’s most respected program directors
Vern Bartley bids farewell
after 20 years with Air Life
A much younger Vem
Bartley shows a little
leg in this 1988 photo
taken just three years
after Air Life began.
When Vern Bartley
became the program
director for
Air Life of Oregon,
Ronald Reagan was
president, a postage
stamp cost 20-cents,
and no one knew
for sure if an air
ambulance service
would survive east
of the Cascades.
Twenty years later.
Air Life is one of the
most successful air
ambulance programs
in the industry — a
fact that gives Vern
something to smile
about as he prepares
to retire May 1.
“We’ve come a long way in 20 years,” he
said. “It’s been incredible watching this
program grow from only one half-time
flight nurse, three pilots and a mechanic
to a program with 80 employees and a
budget of $20 million."
program a success,” he said.
But the liver wasn’t necessary, and
Air Life became the first helicopter -
based air ambulance service in the
nation to successfully implement a
membership program. It’s
a feat Vern ranks as one
of the program’s greatest
achievements. “I’m also
very proud of our patient
care—no question—but
I’m especially proud of
the quality of people we’ve
been able to attract and
keep.”
In 1985, Vern’s career
as a firefighter/
paramedic took a new
turn when a committee
he belonged to studied
the reasons morbidity
and mortality rates
were 2.5 times higher
for patients east of
the Cascades. Long
Halloween 2002, the office proves to Vem
transport times were
that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And now. those quality
people are preparing to say
a culprit, and Vern
farewell to their beloved
wanted to help change
leader. “Vern has been a great mentor for
that. When St. Charles Medical Center
me,” said Audra Ferrera-Green, Air Life’s
approved Air Life and placed Vern at the
membership clerk for the last nine years.
helm, they gave it three years to become
“He has a fun personality, and working
self-sustaining. If it didn’t, they’d close
with him has been very rewarding. I’m
it down. “I would have sold liver on a
really going to miss him.”
stick if I thought it would have made this
^ Air Life says goodbye to Tina Diehl after 13 years of service
*
|£
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P
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When Tina Diehl became Air Life’s database coordinator in April 1991, there were 8,500 member households. Today,
there are over 30,000. But Tina kept up with the frantic workload, becoming one of Air Life's greatest assets over
the years. In addition to her role as database coordinator. Tina also served as Air Life's office manager for nearly
six years. “I’ve enjoyed the fast pace." said Tina, who recently relocated to Salem for her husband's job change.
"Something different happens every day.”
Left: Tina Diehl in her last week on the job.
Right: Tina Diehl with Vern Bartley in 1992.
Michael Greene proudly
joins the Air Life team
Air Life of Oregon’s new program director
already has his head in the clouds
— but really, that's a good thing. During
his first few weeks on the job, Michael
Greene was eager to climb aboard the
Air Life helicopter to get a feel for the
team he’s now managing.
With more than two decades of work in
the medical arena. Michael is no stranger
to flying with an air ambulance crew.
Formerly a flight nurse with Air Life-
HealthOne in Denver, Michael continued
flying even after he became the program
director there in 1993. “It really kept
me connected with the crews and kept
me aware of what was going on in the
community,” he said. “It’s a part of the
job I’ve really enjoyed. There’s a lot of
satisfaction in patient care.”
Michael’s selection as the new program
director for Air Life of Oregon came at
the end of an extensive, nationwide
search. For Vern Bartley — who is
retiring from the role after 20 years
— hiring Michael Greene was the best
decision the program could have made.
“When I first sat down with a book of all
the AAMS (American Association of Air
Medical Services] programs in the nation
thinking ‘who can we get?’ Michael’s
name jumped out at me,” Vern said. “He
was the top candidate in the nation, and
he'll do an excellent job for us.”
Michael was named Program Director
of the Year in 2003 by the Association
of Air Medical Services — a prestigious,
national award that Vern earned in
1997. “It’s very reassuring to know our
new director has twelve years experience
directing a similar air ambulance
company," said Wanda Grindstaff,
Air Life's membership coordinator. “As an
added plus, his experience extends to the
same aviation vendor that we contract
to perform all our aircraft services. We're
excited to have Michael join us.”
Admittedly thrilled with his move from
Denver to Bend, Michael is equally
excited to take the reins of a program
he’s admired from a distance for many
years. “Air Life has done a stellar job
with membership and with giving the
community a sense of ownership with
the program," he said. “I plan to immerse
myself in the program and get to know
the people and the processes."
Michael has two children — an 11 -year-
old daughter, Taylor, and a three-year-
old son. Hunter. His wife, Julieanne, is a
nurse practitioner who previously worked
as a flight nurse.