More Than 114,000 Rural Residents Gain Faster Access to Advanced Medical Care

ANADARKO, Okla. (November 11, 2026) —More than 114,000 residents across Caddo, Custer and Grady counties will have faster access to advanced medical care during life-threatening emergencies with the opening of a new Air Evac Lifeteam base in Anadarko. Developed in partnership with AVEM Health Partners, operators of Rural Wellness Anadarko Hospital, the new base places critical care clinicians, lifesaving blood products and specialized transport capabilities closer to rural communities where timely access to definitive care can be limited by distance and geography. The base began 24/7 operations today.

For patients experiencing severe trauma, stroke, cardiac emergencies or other time-sensitive medical conditions, every minute can influence outcomes. Yet many rural communities are located far from hospitals that provide specialty care. The new Anadarko aircraft helps bridge that gap by improving access to advanced critical care resources and strengthening connections to higher levels of medical treatment when local resources are not available.

The base will operate a dedicated Bell 407 helicopter staffed by highly trained flight clinicians equipped to respond on-scene or transport patients between hospitals while providing advanced medical care. The aircraft will carry blood products for patients with severe traumatic injuries and is configured to transport newborns requiring specialized care.

“When someone suffers a traumatic injury, severe bleeding or another critical emergency, access to advanced care can make a meaningful difference,” said Air Evac Lifeteam Operations Director Rick Bigger. “By positioning these resources in Anadarko, we can bring critical care closer to patients and help connect local hospitals and first responders with additional capabilities when they’re needed most.”

“At AVEM Health Partners, our mission is to bring healthcare to rural America, and that means finding ways to make critical healthcare resources more accessible to the communities we serve,” said Kelly Duke, CEO of Rural Wellness Anadarko Hospital. “This partnership with Air Evac Lifeteam is an important example of that commitment in action. By establishing an air medical base here in Anadarko, we're strengthening the emergency response network for our hospital and surrounding communities. We're proud of what AVEM Health Partners and Air Evac Lifeteam have accomplished together, and especially proud of what it will mean for the patients and families who depend on us.”

Air Evac Lifeteam's Anadarko base underscores the organization's commitment to improving access to care in rural communities and ensuring patients can receive advanced medical treatment regardless of where an emergency occurs. By positioning critical care resources closer to local communities, the base enhances the regional healthcare system and provides additional support for local healthcare partners.