W.C.A. Services Corporation ("Services") actually began in 1979 as WCA Office Building, Inc. It was formed as a for-profit company to support the WCA Hospital's mission of providing healthcare to the community. In the first line of business, we became a landlord as several residential buildings were acquired and rented out. We expanded to employ nurses that were then leased to physician offices, and we provided billing services for emergency department physicians.

            Continuing to grow both in size and personnel, in 1983 we changed our name to W.C.A. Services Corporation and purchased Allied Orthopedic Appliances as a wholly owned subsidiary.

            Seeing a great need in the community, Services next applied to the Southwestern Regional EMS Council for a Certificate of Need, for the purpose of operating an ambulance service. Once granted, we began to provide medical transportation to and from WCA Hospital in 1985. Our ambulance services became known as ALSTAR - which is a mnemonic that stands for Advanced Life Support, Transport And Resources. At this time, we had no specific business location. Some offices were located at 300 Foote Avenue, and some within the WCA Hospital's 'South' building. The ambulance was stationed outside of the emergency department.

            As with any growth, new ideas of better, faster, and more efficient healthcare provisions were being developed, and the concept for Starflight was conceived. In 1985, with the joint effort of the WCA Healthcare System, Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department, and a generous support from the Ralph C. Sheldon Jr. Foundation, a suitable helicopter was located and purchased. However, it wasn't until August 1986, after much retrofitting, customizing for patient and equipment transport, and crew training, that Starflight officially became operational. To this day, it continues to be a joint effort, with the Sheriff's Department providing the pilots, co-pilots, and maintenance crews, and Services providing the medical crews and equipment. 

            Growth continued for the corporation and in 1987, Allied was moved to its current location at 335 East Third Street - a property owned by Services. Additionally, Allied began to expand its market to the Binghamton, Albany, and Buffalo, New York areas, providing service in customized medical equipment. As the market for these items began to change however, these service areas were later discontinued. Today, Allied Healthcare Systems has a retail operation throughout Chautauqua County with stores in both Jamestown and Dunkirk.

            In 1988 we saw the biggest overall growth in our healthcare system. Jamestown General Hospital was purchased by WCA Hospital and Services purchased the fixed assets of the Chautauqua County Ambulance Service, which had been servicing both Jamestown and Dunkirk, as was operated by Jones Hill Services Corporation. We now owned two ambulance certificates, and hired several new employees. In both the Jamestown and Dunkirk Divisions, we began to run 911 and wheelchair calls as well as continuing the nursing home transfers and inter-facility trips that we were already conducting. Ambulance quarters and our "North" (Dunkirk) division operated out of 'The Ford House' at Brooks Memorial Hospital.

            Making way for construction at Jones Hill, our "South" (Jamestown) base of Ambulance operations was moved, and over the next several years we continued to move from place to place.

            Nineteen ninety-two saw the addition of a second Starflight helicopter and two flycars: one in Jamestown and one in Dunkirk. Also, together with TransAm Ambulance Service, from 1993 to 1998 we provided flycar service for the Salamanca Healthcare Center, until TransAm closed and those employees were 'absorbed' into our other two divisions. We also began to wean ourselves out of the 'landlord' business in favor of more physician billing services.

            Nineteen ninety-three also saw the moving of the third leg of our corporation - now known as Physician Billing - to 300 Foote Avenue in the same building as MedCom. The Healthcare Practice Management portion of W.C.A. Services Corporation provides billing services to dozens of private physicians and hospital-related practices. In addition, plans were being made to consolidate our corporation's location.

            By 1995, the bulk of the corporation had outgrown its housing and our present location at 28 Maple Street was built. Much of the corporation moved into the building in March of that year. The ALSTAR ambulance service was housed downstairs, and MedCom, Physician Billing, Finance, and Human Resources were housed upstairs. We also began distinguishing our divisions as MTS - medical transportation (ambulance related); ATS - alternative transportation (wheelchair related); MedCom - dispatch services; HPM - Healthcare Practice Management (Physician Billing); Ambulance Billing; Finance; and Human Resources. Allied Healthcare remains a wholly owned subsidiary.

            Today we staff four ambulances - two in each division fulltime - as well as flycars, and additional transfer ambulances during peak times. We operate a wheelchair/ambulatory van service, and also provide school bus transportation on a contract basis for special needs pre-schoolers. We continue to provide the medical team for Starflight Medevac. We currently consist of approximately 150 fulltime and occasional employees, whom of which staff all of our divisions.

            The Board of Directors for W.C.A. Services Corporation is made up of volunteers from the community who are dedicated to providing the leadership and guidance for the success of the organization.