Columbus Regional Hospital will try to answer concerns about its ability to provide sufficient emergency ambulance service under a plan with fewer ambulances on duty around-the-clock.

Mayor Kristen Brown and other city officials are concerned that the flexible model being proposed by the hospital, and recommended by a city advisory board, would not assure the level of quality service the city desires.

Brown said having at least three ambulances always available for the city or four for the city and county is important.

The details of the hospital plan will be presented at the 10 a.m. Tuesday meeting of the Columbus Board of Public Works and Safety at City Hall, said Brown and Columbus Regional spokeswoman Paige Harden. The Board of Public Works members intend to award an emergency ambulance contract at Tuesday’s meeting.

Columbus Regional Hospital, the main provider of emergency ambulance service to the city and county since 2006, submitted contract proposals to the city along with the Columbus Fire Department and three private ambulance companies — Seals, Trans-Care and Rural/Metro.

One of the three options Columbus Regional proposed would allow the hospital to adjust the number of paramedic-level ambulances on duty all the time. That would allow the hospital to use some ambulances to provide non-emergency trips, generating enough revenue to eliminate the need for a taxpayer subsidy.

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