Ambulance Services Industry Overview

Excerpt from Ambulance Services Report

Companies in this industry transport patients by ground or air and provide emergency or other medical care. Major companies include Acadian Ambulance Service, American Medical Response (AMR), and Rural/Metro Corporation.

Competitive Landscape

Increases in immigration, birth rates, morbidity rates, and life expectancies, as well as emergency medical events, drive demand for ambulance services. The profitability of individual companies depends on quick and effective response and operational efficiency. Large companies have advantages of scale in contract negotiations, service capabilities, technology, and geographic coverage. Small companies can compete effectively by providing superior service in specific locales. The industry is fragmented: the 50 largest companies generate about 45 percent of revenue.

Products, Operations & Technology

The industry's major service is medical transport of patients, which includes pre- and post-hospital medical transportation, emergency (911) and nonemergency transports, and air ambulance services. Emergency calls often require medical assistance, while nonemergency services include transportation for medically unstable patients and medical transfers between health care facilities.