Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS)

OBJECTIVE: One of the most important benefits of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) is a time benefit, either through expedited access to the casualty or a reduction in the transport time to definitive care. However, HEMS utilization does not come without risk to the public and crew or at an insignificant cost. Cost is an essential consideration for health policy decisions, especially in low- to middle-income countries, such as South Africa. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a time benefit of HEMS dispatch in South Africa compared with simulated driving time...

BACKGROUND: Decision making regarding transportation mode after a traumatic injury may have a significant impact on outcomes, due to differences in time to definitive care. The objective of this study was to determine if transport mode had an impact on in-hospital mortality and discharge disposition in pediatric trauma patients. METHODS: Data were abstracted from the National Trauma Data Bank from 2007 to 2016 comparing helicopter and ground transportation modes effects on mortality and discharge outcomes...

In cases of critical injury or illness abroad, fixed-wing air ambulance aircraft is employed to repatriate children to their home country. Air ambulance aircraft also transport children to foreign countries for treatment not locally available and newborns back home that have been born prematurely abroad. In this retrospective observational study, we investigated demographics, feasibility, and safety and outcomes of long-distance and international aeromedical transport of neonates and children. The study included 167 pediatric patients, 56 of those preterm neonates...

INTRODUCTION: Several studies have shown the additional benefit of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) by prehospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Since organization of EMS may vary significantly across countries, the value of POCUS likely depends on the prehospital system in which it is used. In order to be able to optimally implement POCUS and develop a tailored training curriculum, it is important to know how often POCUS is currently used, for which indications it is used, and how it affects decision making...

BACKGROUND: In firearm injuries (FI), rapid transportation is important for survival. Information regarding different methods of transportation for head and neck FI is limited. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to measure the association between method of transportation and the need for tracheostomy and/or intensive care unit (ICU). STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, SAMPLE: This retrospective cross-sectional study reviewed patients in Trauma Registry at Grady Memorial Hospital (GMH) in Atlanta, Georgia, from January 2016 to June 2021...

This study primarily aims to determine the frequency of life-threatening conditions among pediatric patients served by the DRF, a German helicopter emergency service (HEMS) provider. It also seeks to explore the necessity of invasive procedures in this population, discussing the implications for HEMS crew training and service configuration based on current literature. We analyzed the mission registry from 31 DRF helicopter bases in Germany, focusing on 7954 children aged 10 or younger over a 5-year period (2014-2018)...

The classic out-of-hospital approach to a patient with severe acute respiratory failure involves both orotracheal intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation. The use of non-invasive methods for respiratory support has been shown to be beneficial in managing both acute and chronic respiratory failure. However, its use had not been previously considered for air medical transport due to concerns related to airway safety during flight, limited oxygen availability, and limited experience in this setting. We describe the successful inter-hospital helicopter transport of a patient with end-stage lung disease to a transplantation unit while utilizing a high-flow oxygen cannula, which was performed without significant complications...

BACKGROUND: The Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (EMRS) has provided national pre-hospital critical care and aeromedical retrieval in Scotland since 2010. This study investigates trends in the service and patients attended over the last decade; and factors associated with clinical deterioration and pre-hospital death. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all service taskings over ten years (2011-2020 inclusive). The EMRS electronic database provided data on location, sociodemographic factors, diagnoses, physiological measurements, clinical management, and pre-hospital deaths...

The aeromedical transportation (AMT) of critically ill cardiac patients can enable access to advanced specialized medical attention, or provide improved care for operational, psychosocial, political, or economic reasons. However, AMT is a complex undertaking necessitating extensive clinical, operational, administrative, and logistical planning to ensure that the patient receives an equivalent level of critical care monitoring and management in the air as on the ground. This paper is the second of a 2-part series...

INTRODUCTION: With international travel for leisure and business almost back to pre-pandemic levels, demand for repatriation due to illness and injury abroad is increasing [1,2]. In any repatriation, there is considerable pressure on all involved to organize a rapid transport back home. Delay in such action may be perceived by the patient, relatives, and the public as an attempt by the underwriter to hold off on an expensive air ambulance mission [3-5]. METHODS: Review of the available literature and analysis of assistance and air ambulance Companies' infrastructure and processes to identify risk and benefit of executing or delaying aeromedical transport for international travellers...

BACKGROUND: Changes in patient care occurred as a result of the SARS-CoV‑2 virus, and both intrahospital and prehospital care were profoundly affected. Public shutdowns during lockdown periods were intended to prevent overstretching existing resources, resulting in noticeable changes in medical care for both elective treatments and emergency medicine. This study now considered the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on air ambulance services at a central air ambulance site in 2020 compared to the previous 2 years...

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: To compare the prehospital treatment modalities and intervention regimens for major trauma patients with comparable injury patterns between Austria and Germany. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This analysis is based on data retrieved from the TraumaRegister DGU®. Data included severely injured trauma patients with an injury severity score (ISS) ≥ 16, an age ≥ 16 years, and who were primarily admitted to an Austrian (n = 4186) or German (n = 41,484) level I trauma center (TC) from 2008 to 2017...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Helicopter EMS (HEMS) is a well-established mode of rapid transportation for patients with need for time-sensitive interventions, especially in patients with significant traumatic injuries. Traditionally in the setting of trauma, HEMS is often considered appropriate when used for patients with "severe" injury as defined by Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15. This may be overly conservative, and patients with a lower ISS may benefit from HEMS-associated speed or care quality...

OBJECTIVE: In 2019, our team conducted a literature review of air medical evacuation high-level containment transport (AE-HLCT) of patients infected with high-consequence pathogens. Since that publication, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in numerous air medical evacuations. We re-examined the new literature associated with AE-HLCTs to determine new innovations developed as a result of the pandemic. METHODS: A literature search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE from February 2019 to October 2021...

OBJECTIVE: The current research was performed to assess professional quality of life; identify factors associated with secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion satisfaction; and evaluate the effectiveness of a peer support pilot intervention among air medical crewmembers. METHODS: Quantitative research methods were used to assess secondary traumatic stress, compassion satisfaction, and burnout among flight nurses and paramedics. Demographic variables and secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion satisfaction scores using the Professional Quality of Life Scale were assessed...

OBJECTIVE: Norwegian critical care resources are regionalized making air ambulances transport of suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-positive patients a necessity. We prospectively observed pre- and interhospital transportation of patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 in our physician-manned emergency medical services. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational quality assurance study of primary and secondary missions conducted by 2 Norwegian air ambulances during the COVID-19 pandemic...

The early use of helicopters on the battlefields of Korea and Vietnam led to the introduction of "air ambulances" into civilian practice. Initially, these aircraft were tasked to retrieve casualties and provide conventional paramedic care at the scene and en route to the hospital. The introduction of advanced medical teams on helicopters led to the evolution of helicopter emergency medical service units. Yoseftal Hospital is a 65-bed hospital serving the town of Eilat in southern Israel. It does not offer full intensive care or specialist services but does provide general surgical, medical, pediatric, and psychiatric services...

OBJECTIVE: In May 2022, the Royal Flying Doctor Service Western Operations in Western Australia pioneered the introduction of the first organizational helicopter emergency service with 2 Eurocopter EC145 helicopters. This article describes the pilot study undertaken, assessing the implementation and flight crew confidence outcomes of the supplementation of video simulation training to standard clinical training for helicopter air medical retrieval. METHODS: Survey assessments using a 5-point Likert scale provided anonymous demographic data with summarized results of the means and standard deviations...

Little is known about the heart rate changes of prehospital clinicians when performing potentially "stressful" interventions. This case report demonstrates the heart rate changes of two prehospital clinicians when performing a resuscitative thoracotomy. It demonstrates the peak heart rates correlating to the main intervention performed. This highlights areas for future research including the effect heart rate has on optimal performance.

OBJECTIVE: In health care, learning and collaboration between professions are crucial in providing patient-centered, responsive, and high-quality care. Given that interprofessional learning can occur indirectly while working but is scarcely studied in the context of prehospital emergency care, we examined the maintenance and development of paramedic competence on joint emergency medical service (EMS) and helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) missions. METHODS: Qualitative methodology was chosen...