CONTEXT Helicopter emergency medical services and their possible effect on outcomes for traumatically injured patients remain a subject of debate. Because helicopter services are a limited and expensive resource, a methodologically rigorous investigation of its effectiveness compared with ground emergency medical services is warranted. OBJECTIVE To assess the association between the use of he...

BACKGROUND Following the introduction of Helicopter Emergency Ambulance Services (HEAS) in the United Kingdom in the last ten years this paper examines the costs and benefits of three contrasting services in Cornwall, London and Sussex. METHODS Pre-hospital processes of care were compared between helicopter attended patients and land ambulance patients in all three studies, and health outcome...

INTRODUCTION Helicopter emergency medical services with a physician (HEMS) has been provided in Japan since 2001. However, HEMS and its possible effect on outcomes for severe trauma patients have still been debated as helicopter services require expensive and limited resources. Our aim was to analyze the association between the use of helicopters with a physician versus ground services and surv...

Objective: To detect the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multi-resistant S. aureus (Multi-RSA) in emergency service helicopters. Methods: This proof-of-concept study used a convenience sample of two emergency service helicopters located in different Australian towns. Over a three-month period ending January 31 2015, within each helicopter five areas of perceiv...

INTRODUCTION Hypothermia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in trauma patients and poses a challenge in pre-hospital treatment. The aim of this study was to identify equipment to prevent, diagnose, and treat hypothermia in Norwegian pre-hospital services. METHOD In the period of April-August 2011, we conducted a survey of 42 respondents representing a total of 543 pre-hospit...

OBJECTIVE to determine whether the use of a helicopter ambulance unit enabled an ambulance service to deliver acutely traumatized patients to hospital more quickly. DESIGN retrospectively collected ambulance service and hospital records data analysed longitudinally. SETTINGS The ambulance service and the major casualty department in Cornwall. INTERVENTION the provision of a helicopter amb...

BACKGROUND: The US Army pioneered medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) by helicopter, yet its system remains essentially unchanged since the Vietnam era. Care is provided by a single combat medic credentialed at the Emergency Medical Technician Y Basic level. Treatment protocols, documentation, medical direction, and quality improvement processes are not standardized and vary significantly across US Ar...

Title: Hypoxia and hypotension in patients intubated by physician staffed helicopter emergency medical services a prospective observational multi-centre study Authors: Geir Arne Sunde ([email protected]) Mårten Sandberg ([email protected]) Richard Lyon ([email protected]) Knut Fredriksen ([email protected]) Brian Burns ([email protected]) Karl ...

BACKGROUND The US Army pioneered medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) by helicopter, yet its system remains essentially unchanged since the Vietnam era. Care is provided by a single combat medic credentialed at the Emergency Medical Technician - Basic level. Treatment protocols, documentation, medical direction, and quality improvement processes are not standardized and vary significantly across US Arm...