Wellmont Health System announced Friday that it will be moving its WellmontOne Air Transport helicopter base from Takoma Regional Hospital in Greeneville to Bristol Motor Speedway.

Wellmont will end base operations for WellmontOne at Takoma on Sunday, Jan. 31.

WellmontOne has been based at Takoma since March 22, 2008.

The medical air transport will continue to serve patients in Greene County, said Daniel Wolcott, Takoma Hospital's president and CEO.

"Takoma Regional Hospital, as part of the Wellmont Health System, will continue to be served by Wellmont One," Wolcott said.

"WellmontOne will be eight to 10 minutes away. This change does not impact the high level of care the community expects from Takoma Regional Hospital," he added.

Dr. Remy Sagadraca, an emergency room physician at Takoma Regional Hospital, said, "In this era of instant communication and utilizing a 'fast mover' like Wellmont One, we do not believe this change materially affects the transfer of our critical patients to specialty care facilities."

Wellmont officials say the medical helicopter's relocation will provide a more rapid response for the entire Wellmont service area.

Based in Kingsport, Wellmont Health System consists of eight hospitals in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virgina, including Takoma Regional Hospital in Greeneville.

The health system's hospital network also includes two of the three major trauma centers in Northeast Tennessee: Holston Valley Medical Center, in Kingsport, and Bristol Regional Medical Center.

This move, a Wellmont press release said, will "better serve the healthcare needs of patients across Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

"Wellmont has long been Bristol Motor Speedway's official medical provider, staffing the track's infield care center and fan care centers.

"By basing WellmontOne at the speedway, the air ambulance service will be centrally located to serve residents across the Mountain Empire," the release said.

"Every second counts when emergency air transport is needed," said Patrick Kane, Wellmont's senior vice president of marketing communications.

"The proximity of Bristol Motor Speedway to our two trauma centers, as well as its central location in the region, makes this a perfect site for WellmontOne," Kane said.

During the helicopter's relocation period, WellmontOne will be out of service for about a month.

Area patients in need of medical air transport by WellmontOne will be flown during that time by Med-Flight II, which is operated by the Virginia State Police with a Wellmont-supplied crew.

BMS president Jeff Byrd said the speedway is happy to provide a home base that will enhance WellmontOne's ability to serve the region.

"Bristol Motor Speedway is all about speed," Byrd said in the release. "By bringing WellmontOne to Bristol, we know people across Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia are going to get the lifesaving care they need more quickly than ever."

In addition to responding to trauma calls, WellmontOne transfers patients from outlying hospitals to Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport and Bristol Regional Medical Center when sophisticated care is necessary.

"We are proud of the high level of care we provide to Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia," Kane said. "The addition of helicopter service two years ago enhanced the care we provide. Basing our operations at BMS is a further extension of our mission to deliver superior health care with compassion."