CareFlite is a Texas, 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation sponsored by Baylor Scott and White, JPS Health Network, Methodist Health System, Parkland Health and Hospital and Texas Health Resources. CareFlite and its Sponsors are nonprofit entities committed to high-quality patient care and community service. CareFlite is the only, fully-integrated medical transport company serving North Texas. It offers medical transports in helicopters, an airplane, and ground ambulances. It also provides wheelchair transports. Services are provided by over 700 EMS professionals who put the CARE in CAREFLITE.
Established in 1979, CareFlite is the oldest joint use air medical transportation service in the United States. CareFlite began with one helicopter shared between Methodist Dallas Medical Center and Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital transporting about 20 patients each month. CareFlite recently replaced its entire helicopter fleet with new Bell 429’s and Bell 407GX aircraft at a cost of $35 million. It is believed to be the youngest helicopter fleet in the United States. In 1980, CareFlite began operating a ground ambulance service in Dallas to support the helicopters and to provide non-emergency transportation to patients in area hospitals. CareFlite’s Ground Ambulance Division has bases in the following counties: Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Hill, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, and Tarrant. CareFlite operates 911/EMS services in Balch Springs, SE Dallas County, Ellis County ESD #5, Hill County, and Kaufman County.
Today, CareFlite operates seven helicopter bases in and around the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and in Burnet, Texas. The Bell 429 aircraft are equipped for flight under instrument conditions (similar to the scheduled airlines). CareFlite has 9 FAA approved instrument approaches to area hospitals throughout North Texas. These approaches permit CareFlite to transport critical patients to the area's trauma centers and other hospitals offering specialized care during poor weather conditions. CareFlite is the first non-governmental entity to undertake such a program in Texas. CareFlite helicopters are based at Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Texas Health Harris Methodist Fort Worth Medical Center, McKinney National Airport, North Texas Medical Center in Gainesville, Granbury Municipal Airport, Hill County ESD facility Whitney, and Burnet Fire Department. In addition to its helicopter EMS program, CareFlite also provides a King Air (fixed wing, twin engine, pressurized, high performance turboprop) air ambulance. This aircraft can be used for emergent transports in Texas and Oklahoma, long haul patient transfers throughout the continental U.S., and is ideal for transplant programs needing to move patients, organs and/or transplant teams without delay. All CareFlite aircraft are equipped with blood products and chest compression machines. Since 1979, CareFlite has transported over 1,150,000 patients by air and ground.
CareFlite's Ground Division also exclusively offers Specialty Care Transport (SCT) and Critical Care Transports (CCT). SCT/CCT is an ideal service for a patient who needs an inter-facility transport with a higher level of medical care than can be provided on an ALS ambulance but does not require the speed and higher cost of flying. It has a medical service bicycle team and equestrian mounted team for community events.
CareFlite responds to requests from hospitals, fire departments, EMS agencies and law enforcement within a service area of more than 100 counties in the Central and North Central Texas regions containing more than 7 million people.
First held in 1982, CareFlite offers an outstanding annual Emergency Care Education conference open to first responders and health care professionals. CareFlite’s continuing education programs include year round certification courses at its Mabee EMS Training Center in Grand Prairie as well as the University of Maryland Critical Care Paramedic Course and the Emergency Medical Dispatch course from the International Academy of Emergency Dispatch (IAED). CareFlite was first accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services in 1995. Its Dispatch Center is accredited by the IAED.
CareFlite offers a Membership program that protects families against surprise or balance billing after transports. The program costs $49 per year or less per household.
CareFlite celebrated its 40th anniversary at AT&T Stadium on May 20, 2019.