Metro Aviation celebrates a year of growth at AMTC 2026. 27-Oct-2026 Source: Metro Aviation Metro Aviation, the world's most trusted traditional air medical operator, will attend the 2026 Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC), October 26-28 in Fort Worth, Texas, showcasing customer aircraft, demonstrating its Metro Aero Sim H135 Trainer, and celebrating the accomplishments of its customers and industry partners. Attendees visiting Booth 639 can explore the new EC145 helicopter completed for Maynard Children's Hospital at ECU Health and Vanderbilt LifeFlight's EC135. Metro will also demonstrate its Metro Aero Sim H135 Trainer, a multi-system avionics simulator platform. 2026 was another year of growth for the company. Metro welcomed three new operations customers: LifeFlight Eagle in Kansas City, Missouri; Children's Nebraska in Omaha, Nebraska; Vanderbilt LifeFlight in Nashville, Tennessee; LifeNet in Texarkana, Texas; and St. Luke's AirMED in Allentown, PA. The company also continues its work with BETA Technologies, which has successfully demonstrated its electric aircraft in Louisiana, Texas, North Carolina, Vermont, and The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Metro has also sent a group of pilots and technicians to complete training with Beta. This year, Metro recognizes several customer anniversaries, including 45 years for Acadian AirMed; 40 years for HCA Mission Hospital MAMA and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist AirCare; and five years for Wellstar MCG Health AirCare and Billings Clinic. "AMTC is one of our favorite opportunities to celebrate the people and programs that make this industry special," said Todd Stanberry, Metro Aviation Vice President. "Our customers continue to accomplish incredible things, and we're proud to be part of their success. From milestone anniversaries to industry awards and new partnerships, there's a lot to celebrate this year." Metro Aviation also congratulates John Boyle, a Metro pilot assigned to UC Health Air Care, who has been named the 2026 National EMS Pilots Association (NEMSPA) Pilot of the Year. Among this year's 40 Under 40: Rising Leaders in Medical Transport honorees are three Metro Aviation employees: Brady Carpenter, Joel Fisher, Jake Boogaerts, and Jerry Lingefelt III. Additional honorees representing the Metro family include Brittney Bernardoni (UW Health Med Flight), Katelyn Dykss (Michigan Medicine Survival Flight), Alaina Martini (AHN LifeFlight), Gina Scharf (HCA), Michael Tomasetti (Penn Medicine), Dustin Wingate (Duke Life Flight), and Jessica Yelverton (ECU Health). Metro also congratulates the finalists for the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) Community Awards: Marriott-Carlson Lifetime Achievement Award: Thomas Allenstein (Children's Nebraska) and Milton Geltz (Metro Aviation). Neonatal/Pediatric Transport Award of Excellence: EastCare Children's Transport Team (North Carolina) and Nationwide Children's Hospital Transport Team (Ohio). Transport Mechanic Award of Excellence: Jeff Dusseault and Josh King (both Metro Aviation employees assigned to Dartmouth Hitchcock Advanced Response Team). Eileen Frazer Spark Award: Brendon Sanders (AdventHealth) and Anna Woody (ECU Health Maynard Children's Hospital). Metro Aviation invites attendees to Booth 639 throughout AMTC and to its annual press event on Tuesday, October 27, at 1:00 p.m., where the company will share updates and celebrate another year of achievements across the air medical community.

DLR Group, RAMSA design 215,000-square-foot Ohio pediatric center. Nationwide Children's Hospital's planned Close To Home outpatient center in New Albany, Ohio will bring pediatric urgent care, specialty clinics and other healthcare services together on a 25-acre campus. Photo Credit: DLR Group. * DLR Group and RAMSA have collaborated for a planned three-story, 215,000-square-foot Close To Home outpatient center for Nationwide Children's Hospital in New Albany, Ohio. * The facility will combine advanced urgent care, specialty clinics, imaging, laboratory and therapy services on a donated 25-acre site. * The design includes provisions for future program expansion, along with walking trails, dining areas and dedicated parking. NEW ALBANY, Ohio - Nationwide Children's Hospital is planning a three-story, 215,000-square-foot outpatient center in New Albany, Ohio, that will bring pediatric urgent care and specialty services together on one campus. Designed by DLR Group and RAMSA, the hospital's latest Close To Home center will occupy a 25-acre site donated by The New Albany Company and its owners, according to a Sept. 23 press release from DLR Group. The center's clinical offerings will include advanced urgent care, specialty clinics, imaging, laboratory services and therapy. The design places those services within a single facility while providing space for the campus to accommodate future program needs. DLR Group's responsibilities included architecture and interior design, along with structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering. The firm also provided signage, audiovisual and lighting design services. RAMSA, also known as Robert A.M. Stern Architects, led the building envelope and exterior design concepts. REALM Collaborative handled site design and landscape architecture. "Together, we shaped a facility that brings advanced care to families where they live," said Bryce Shirley, a DLR Group principal and health care design leader, according to DLR Group's release. The campus plan emphasizes operational efficiency and navigation, with connections to future shell space intended to accommodate program expansion. Flexibility was a priority for the design team as it considered both current services and the needs of children and families over time. The building's design is intended to reflect Nationwide Children's identity while fitting the character of New Albany. The firms sought to create a care setting that feels like home, linking the hospital's recognizable design qualities with the surrounding community. Plans also call for dedicated parking, walking trails and dining areas. Safe vehicle circulation is another component of the campus design. Those features are intended to support wellness for patients, families and staff alongside the facility's clinical functions. "Designed to create a welcoming sense of place, the Close To Home center will stand as a visible expression of New Albany's commitment to the health and wellness of children and families for generations to come," Meghan McDermott, a RAMSA partner, said in the release. Stay ahead of the industry. Get HCO News delivered free.

DeWine celebrates success of Appalachian Children's Health Initiative. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik today announced the successful conclusion of the Appalachian Children's Health Initiative, an innovative program that dedicated more than $64 million to bring transformative care to children and families across Ohio's Appalachian region. Last week, the Appalachian Children's Health Initiative opened its 29th health clinic, located within the Chillicothe City School District. Chillicothe's new clinic is the final clinic funded through the program. "Too many children in Appalachia have had to travel long distances to get even basic healthcare. Today, more families can find that care close to home, including right at their child's school," said Governor DeWine. "These clinics are a lasting investment in the health and future of Ohio's children. Tomorrow's leaders are receiving care today because of this program, these clinics, and the many, many people who have helped this idea become reality." Of the 29 clinics, most are school-based health clinics operating in partnership with 16 regional healthcare partners and serving 34 school districts. While the availability of services varies between facilities, expanded services include comprehensive primary care, dental, vision, and mental health services for children, families, and community members. "As a mom of three, I know how quickly a child's illness can upend a school day and leave parents either scrambling to arrange care or step away from work," said Director Mihalik. "These clinics give families in this region one less barrier to navigate, which means more time for their kids to do what's most important - learning, growing, and being kids." Since the first clinic opened in 2024, the sites have accommodated nearly 33,000 patient visits, including more than 21,000 child visits. This has resulted in an average of 3.19 hours per student of saved learning time - hours preserved by visiting a school-based clinic instead of leaving campus. Created with support from the Ohio General Assembly, the Appalachian Children's Health Initiative was funded as part of the Governor DeWine's larger Appalachian Community Grant Program, which invested an unprecedented $500 million into Ohio's 32-county Appalachian region. The health clinic funding was awarded to the Appalachian Children Coalition and administered by the Governor's Office of Appalachia, housed within the Department of Development. "The Appalachian Children Coalition has been excited to lead this effort to bring local healthcare access to children across 36 Appalachian communities," said Randy Leite, executive director of the Appalachian Children Coalition. "The Appalachian Children's Health Initiative will assure children have access to the care they need without having to miss school to receive it. We appreciate the support of Governor DeWine, Director Mihalik, and Governor's Office of Appalachia Director John Carey and his staff." Nationwide Children's Hospital prepared the grant proposal for the program on behalf of the Appalachian Children Coalition, and served as a critical partner in the completion of the Appalachian Children's Health Initiative, providing implementation support and technical assistance to all awarded districts. "The Appalachian Children's Health Initiative demonstrates what is possible when local communities, schools, healthcare providers, and state partners come together around a shared commitment to children's health," said Mary Kay Irwin, Ed.D., senior director of school-based health at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "Nationwide Children's has been proud to support implementation, provide technical assistance, and help communities build sustainable models of school-based care. The success of this initiative reflects the dedication of our local partners and the impact that coordinated investments can have on improving access to care, keeping students healthy, and reducing the non-academic barriers to learning." In total, the DeWine Administration has invested approximately $2 billion in Ohio's Appalachian counties since 2019. The Ohio Department of Development empowers communities to succeed by investing in Ohio's people, places, and businesses. Learn more about its work at development.ohio.gov. Add new comment. This is not for publication. * No HTML tags allowed. * Lines and paragraphs break automatically. * Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically. Article comments are not posted immediately to the Web site. 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