Articles supporting Air Medical Transport

["Jeff Brosius" <reno316@hotmail.com>]

RE: A thread from a month or two ago, asking for supportive literature... 
Abstract I found today.

******************
"Critical care helicopter transport. Report of 224 cases."

E Carreras González, G Carreras González, G Fraga Rodríguez, G Ginovart 
Galiana, E Moliner Calderón, A Torras Colell, M Torrent Español.

Servicio de Pediatría. Hospital de Sant Pau. Universidad Autónoma de 
Barcelona. España.

An Pediatr (Barc) 2003 Dec 59(6):529-34

Objective. To report a 5-year experience of pediatric helicopter transport 
and describe its characteristics, the composition of the team , its 
indications and the advantages of air versus ground transport. MethodsA 
total of 224 flights over a 5-year period were retrospectively analyzed. The 
team was composed of a pediatrician and a pediatric nurse from the Pediatric 
Department of Hospital Sant Pau and was available 365 days per year from 
sunrise to sunset. The helicopters belonged to the Royal Automobile Club of 
Catalonia and were coordinated by the Emergency Medical Service. The area 
covered was Catalonia and Andorra. The number of patients, age, sex, 
diagnosis, and response and stabilization times were recorded.ResultsThere 
were 220 patients (139 males and 81 females ). Six patients died in the 
primary hospital before transport. Seven flights were canceled because of 
adverse weather, engine breakdown, or family refusal. Three twin 
transportations were performed. A total of 214 patients were transported in 
224 flights. The mean times (in minutes ) were: from emergency call to 
takeoff: 15; flight time: 39; between landing to the emergency room: 10. The 
mean stabilization time was 42 min.ConclusionsHelicopter transportation of 
critically-ill children by specialist teams of pediatricians and nurses 
shortens response time in isolated areas with poor transport. The lower 
number of accelerations and vibrations of the helicopter provides greater 
stability during transport, especially in trauma patients. Both transport 
models, air and ground, should be complementary.
******************

Have not (yet) had time to dig up the full study and read over it to 
evaluate the methodology, analysis, etc.  Perhaps someone on this list has 
the time to do so.

------------
JRB

Jeff Brosius,
Paramedic, etc.

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