Operations Archives - Page 6 of 6 - American Ambulance Association

Save big on ZOLL with Savvik!

Written by Amanda Riordan on July 5, 2016. Posted in Member-Only, Operations.

Use the Savvik Buying Group discount included with your AAA membership to save on the ZOLL products you are already buying. Simply ask your ZOLL sales representative to apply the Savvik contract rates to your next purchase. That’s it!

View the Full Price List

AAA’s ZOLL discount program through Savvik Buying Group can save you BIG!

Automated External Defibrillators, Related Equipment, Accessories & Product Upgrades

32% discount on AED Plus defibrillators
32% discount on AED Pro defibrillators
25% discount on all accessories and disposables
25% discount on product upgrades
Multiple Unit Sales: Additional discounts available for 2 or more units in a single purchase order

ALS Monitors / Defibrillators and Automated CPR Devices Related Equipment, Accessories & Product Upgrades

2% discount on AutoPulse
18% discount on X Series defibrillators and related accessories
18% discount on Propaq MD defibrillators and related accessories
25% discount on M Series & E Series related accessories and disposables
Multiple Unit Sales: Additional discounts available for 2 or more units in a single purchase order

Ask your ZOLL rep to use the AAA’s Savvik Buying Group contract to receive these savings. It’s that easy!

Questions? Contact office@savvik.org to learn more, or for full pricing information.

Savvik Discount on Physio-Control

Written by Amanda Riordan on June 14, 2016. Posted in Operations, Patient Care.

The American Ambulance Association is pleased to announce that AAA members can now save significantly on Physio-Control products through the Savvik Buying Group.

Through Savvik’s partnership with Vizient (formally Novation), the largest acute care GPO in the United States, AAA members now have access to this discounted contract on AED’s, Monitors, and Lucas devices and accessories.

Visit the Savvik site today or contact office@savvik.org for details!

Credit Card Processing: Interchange Plus vs. Tiered Pricing

Written by Mary Kate Mack on May 23, 2016. Posted in Finance, Operations.

When it comes down to the pricing structures offered by different credit card payment processors, how do you determine which is best for your ambulance service? The American Ambulance Association has teamed up with Payline Data to kick confusion to the curb.

Tiered Pricing Structure

Tiered pricing is a rate structure in which several hundred different processing rates are packaged into tiers that represent three different possible rates. Most providers package the rates into three groups with varying markups. Unfortunately, there is no regulation behind how merchant account providers must package their tiers, which prevents merchants from knowing exactly how much a given provider is making on each transaction. Despite the prevalence of tiered pricing in the credit card processing industry, a more competitive and transparent pricing model is available in the form of Interchange-plus pricing.

Interchange-Plus Pricing

Interchange-Plus pricing is the most transparent pricing model and it’s what Payline offers to all AAA members. This model for pricing puts the power in your hands by giving you a straightforward and clear explanation of charges. Interchange describes the rates that come directly from the card networks. No merchant or processing company has any control over these rates. Every merchant pays interchange, which varies based on the type of card your customer is using. The plus is what Payline is charging you for our service. It is our profit and is shown in terms of a small percentage markup and a minimal transaction cost.

The best-fit pricing structure is one that is designed to help your business thrive. To hear more about our exclusive pricing option for AAA members, call our friendly Payline representative for a free, no-obligation quote today.

Contact

Steve Marshall
Director of Corporate Partnerships
smarshall@paylinedata.com
(800) 284-7401

Your membership is important to us–let us know what you think of your Payline experience!

Choosing a Credit Card Processor for Your Ambulance Service

Written by Mary Kate Mack on March 28, 2016. Posted in Finance, Operations.

In the fast-paced life of an American Ambulance Association member, taking the time to evaluate credit card processing needs for can feel like a daunting task. The idea alone is enough to make some emergency vehicle businesses stick with the same old merchant processor when, unbeknownst to them, they are likely losing out on value added services and low rates that could help their business grow. Here are a few tips for choosing a credit card processor for your organization that will enhance your business operations:

Understand Credit Card Processing 101

Credit card processing can seem like a complicated industry, and while it’s true that payments aren’t always black and white, a quality payment processor will help you understand the gray area. Credit card processing is essentially the backend work that occurs every time your business runs a credit or debit card transaction. The first part of the transaction is known as authorization (getting approval from the bank for the transaction) and the second part is settlement (processing of the actual sale, in which funds are transferred from the issuing bank to the merchant account). What it boils down to is this: payment processing is the expansion of your commerce reach as a business, and having one is necessary to optimize your business’s growth. (MORE: Read AAA’s EMS Card Payment Processing Guide)
Make sure your processor is advocating for you and your business

It’s no secret that finding a best-fit business solution for your business takes time and careful consideration. It’s likely that there are many players are involved in helping you make business decisions, so it’s important to have a merchant advocate when selecting a payment processor. A quality payment processor for your business will provide you with an analysis of your recent processing statements and pinpoint where you might be able to cut costs. Money saved on processing can in turn be invested into growing your business and expanding your client reach.
Find a processor with cutting-edge solutions

Any business that accesses debit and credit cards for payment is equally affected by the threat of fraud. A credit card processor that is truly beneficial to your business will seek out the right value added services that can assist you in the fight against fraud. With the new EMV chip cards that are being circulated, it’s important to consider the need for a terminal that can accept all types of cards. Other services offered by the best processors include ACH processing, USB readers, mobile readers, and cloud-based solutions. As commerce rapidly adapts to today’s merchant and consumer needs, your business needs a processor that will offer these solutions and more.

Sticking with a processor that isn’t providing you with the support your business needs isn’t worth your time. To learn more about credit card processing solutions that can help your business grow, contact Steve Marshall at Payline.

Contact us today via email or by phone (800) 284-7401 and we would be glad to run a statement analysis to show you how you can save money and cut costs on processing fees for the betterment and growth of your business.

FDA Issues First Responder Drug Dispenser Guidance

Written by Tristan North on March 1, 2016. Posted in Government Affairs, Operations, Professional Standards, Regulatory.

In accordance with the Drug Supply Chain Security Act of 2013, the FDA issued regulations last year to require drug dispensaries to build an electronic system to identify and track the distribution of drugs. Many small dispensaries do not have the ability currently to electronically trace small quantities of drugs. The AAA became concerned that hospital and other small dispensers would no longer provide first responders with critical drugs in fear of not being compliant with the new regulations. The AAA joined a coalition of dispensaries, pharmacists and others that also had concerns with the new regulations.

As a result of the efforts of the coalition and the AAA, we were able to delay enforcement of the requirements until today, March 1. The AAA then worked directly with the FDA to educate them about the unique nature that small dispensaries sometimes play in restocking certain ambulance service providers. Upon learning of these transactions, the FDA shared our concerns and worked quickly to release the guidance.

The guidance states that the FDA will not take action against drug dispensaries in providing drugs to first responders if the dispensary follows certain basic recording keeping policies. The agency will also not take any action against the first responder. The guidance is entitled “Requirements for Transactions with First Responders under Section 582 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act — Compliance Policy Guidance for Industry“.

Learn & Save: Your Guide to Credit Card Processing Agreements

Written by Amanda Riordan on July 23, 2015. Posted in Member-Only, Operations.

AAA understands that ambulance services sometimes operate on razor-thin margins. One relatively painless way to reduce operating expenses is to ensure that you are getting the best possible deal on credit card processing. While card processing may seem like a commodity service, it’s not—taking a few moments to become educated on the basic elements of your processor contract may save your service thousands annually.

AAA Guide Tailored to Ambulance Services

AAA worked with industry expert and CardPaymentOptions.com CEO Phillip Parker to develop a card processing guide for ambulance services. We invite you to read it now in the AAA Member Center. Go Now►

New for 2015! Payline Data Partnership

AAA has teamed up with Payline Data, LLC to bring members ultra-low rates and overnight funding on card transactions. Learn more.

[Not yet a member? Learn more about AAA membership.]