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Acadian Companies
Founded on a mission to fill a critical gap in emergency care, Acadian Companies has grown into a national leader in medical transport, workforce training, and public safety services. Despite its expansion, Acadian remains deeply committed to Louisiana, ensuring its communities receive the highest standard of care.
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Employee-Owned Excellence
Acadian Companies is the largest employee-owned ambulance service in the nation, giving its team members a direct stake in the company’s success. This model fosters a deep sense of responsibility and commitment, ensuring every patient receives the highest level of care from professionals who truly care. “I think it’s the quality of the people that helped get this company started,” admits Richard Zuschlag, founder, chairman, and CEO of Acadian Companies. “That has made us the success that we are today.”
Full Service Healthcare Leader
What began as an ambulance service has evolved into a comprehensive healthcare and safety network. With a focus on quality improvement and patient care, Acadian continues to grow and expand their service areas and offerings. The company has become a model in emergency transport, with operations now spanning four states and covering a population of more than 24 million people. Acadian Companies encompass six divisions, including ground and air medical transport, aircraft charter services, health monitoring and response, security services, and training and educational services. Today they transport over 650,000 patients each year, a far cry from the few thousand they started with.
Building the Next Generation
Louisiana, like the rest of the nation, faces a severe shortage of licensed emergency practitioners. To help alleviate that strain, Acadian Companies has developed an innovative program, Hometown Heroes. Together with EMS Explorer Posts and local high schools, Acadian Companies’ Hometown Heroes Program works to train and prepare students for a career as a licensed EMT. While not every student may pursue that particular career path, the goal of the program is to provide an outlet for young people so that they have an opportunity to obtain a job that keeps them local while also making a difference in people’s lives.
Rapid Response
Acadian employees take a great deal of pride in their work, seeing every day as an opportunity to make a difference. That passion for life and compassion for others is what continues to drive the organization forward, even through the ups and downs. In 2005, after hurricanes Katrina and Rita wreaked havoc on Louisiana, Acadian’s resources and ability to meet the needs of Louisiana was tested. The company faced similar adversity in 2010 after the BP oil spill, in 2017 following the state’s unprecedented flooding, and again, most recently, as Louisiana and the rest of the world battled the COVID-19 pandemic. But each time, Acadian took the initiative to pivot and become an innovator to meet the needs of those they serve.
To keep Louisianans healthy, Acadian Companies responded to the pandemic through improved telehealth and alternative treatment. Through their Safety Management Systems, the company worked to provide screening checkpoints and testing services, while also aiding in operating field hospitals and decontamination sites. In addition, the development of new models such as Treatment in Place and Alternative Destination Transport, allowed Acadian to help improve the health outcomes of citizens while reducing the patient load of local hospitals.
