Re: (no subject)

["John Linko" <fllw_fan@hotmail.com>]

Mark et al:

The real meat of this issue lies even beyond the closest helicopter; it also 
means transporting the patient to the closest appropriate facility, 
regardless of whose health system supports the flight program. That was one 
of the main points of the Pittsburgh article; Is it more appropriate to 
transport to the closest trauma center, or risk additional harm or even 
morbidity to go to the "preferred" facility?

This is the issue that state governments will have to deal with, along with 
where the chopper is coming from. Don't hold your breath, though.
There are a lot of revenue streams and fragile egos hanging in the balance.

John Linko
Grand Junction CO
Alternate, Northwest RETAC


>From: "Mark Young" <myoung@montrose.net>
>Reply-To: flightmed@flightweb.com
>To: <flightmed@flightweb.com>
>Subject: (no subject)
>Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2001 11:00:38 -0700
>
>John and others,
>Since my posting yesterday, I have receive several e-mails about "kids
>dying all the time" in Denver and my basis for my comment. John seems to
>understand what I was referring to, but obviously others did not. Please
>allow me the opportunity to clarify.
>
>My reference, although not articulated, was referring to the end of the
>article where callers call in for a flight and are under the impression
>they are getting the closest helicopter. The program that receives the
>call many times advertises that they will send the closest helicopter if
>they are not the closest or are not available. However in practice, this
>does not seem to be the case in most of Colorado. Some programs stack
>the flights until they become available and give false ETA's, others say
>sorry we are not available and hang up. There are some that it depends
>on what day you call and who is dispatching. It does happen on a regular
>basis that a flight program will overfly another helicopter that is
>sitting and ready to go. This does happen in Denver. Unfortunately,
>someday someone will die, at a scene of an accident, waiting for a
>helicopter that was sent from farther away than the nearest helicopter.
>This may not be the fault of the program that sent it, it may be the
>system. There is no system in place for someone to call one number and
>get the closest. We have to "chopper shop" to find out who is where and
>how soon they can be here. In the mean time precious minutes go by.
>
>There is a growing group advocating a Statewide Comm. Center to help
>with the problem as well as many others. There is also a growing group
>advocating it be written in rules that the closest be sent.
>
>John, I do agree with your comment that it would seem that this would
>not be to hard to do since both Denver services are dispatched out of
>the same room.
>
>For any one who felt offended and felt like I was insinuating that
>children die all the time in Denver, please accept my apologies. I do
>hope rules can be written that are in the best interest of the patient
>and our injured children who may not have a choice.
>
>Mark Young, EMT-P
>Western RETAC
>
>
>Well, one would figure with both programs being dispatched out of the
>same
>room that these kinds of things could be minimized. I guess not,
>especially since CMC bailed out.
>
>I used to work for Life Flight in Pittsburgh before I came out here.
>Wanted to make sure the word got out about these situations.
>
>John
>
>
>Mark Young
>
>From President Bush when asked what is taking so long to retaliate
>against the recent attack:
>"When I take action I'm not going to fire a $2 million missile at a $10
>empty
>tent and hit a camel in the butt."
>
>President of the United States, George W. Bush.
>
>


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