re: high risk OB transports

["Eric Niegelberg [Emergency Medicine]" <eniegelb@epo.hsc.sunysb.edu>]

We fly very few OB patients, the majority are transported by groung 
(about 150 per year).  We require that an OB attending exam the 
patient prior to being accepted here, our perinatologist speaks with 
the sending MD, and our team gets the clinical information from the 
sending nurse.  About 10% of our requests are refused as the patient 
is too far along and we send the neonatal team instead.

With qualified staff we also use a two day program for OB training.  
This supplements their exisiting training including all of the 
"letters" (NRP, PALS, etc.).  While we can continuously montitor the 
patient, use Mag quite a bit, etc., the care that we provide is 
superior to the care at the sending hospital.  I can't think of any 
procedures, interventions, exams, etc. that should be done in an 
ambulance/helicopter that we can't do.  We monitor FHR every 15 
minutes as well as uterine contractions.

I would be interested in your thoughts on what "better qualified" 
personnel could possibly do for these patients.
******************************************************
Eric Niegelberg                     Tel: 631-444-2496
EMS Director                        Fax: 631-689-7376
Emergency Department Administrator
Stony Brook University Hospital

******************************************************

_______________________________________________
Flightmed mailing list