As part of an organized trauma system, air medical services cut the injury-to-operating-room time significantly. Medical helicopters, dispatched simultaneously with ground EMS, can give over 54% of the US population access to a full-service trauma center within 60 minutes that they otherwise would not have.
Helicopters are used for the transport of patients from the scene of an injury to a hospital, and for shorter flights between smaller hospitals and trauma centers or specialty hospitals.
Helicopters fly point-to-point, minimizing the time out of hospital, and avoiding the traffic delays experienced by ground ambulances.
Fixed wing air ambulances (airplanes) are used for transporting patients on longer interfacility flights. Fixed wing air ambulances can cover much more distance in less time than a ground ambulance.
Bringing patients home and/or to more sophisticated medical care from distant sites of illness or injury is one major use of a fixed-wing air medical service.
Air Medical Services are a limited resource, which over time has prompted the need for guidelines on when to use helicopters and airplanes for transports. Criteria has been defined at state, regional, and national levels to ensure proper use of these valuable services. Public safety agencies such as EMS, Fire and Rescue, and Hospitals can receive training from Mercy Flight Central on proper utilization of our services. Contact our Outreach Department to inquire about a seminar on utilization criteria.
For general guidelines on utilization of air medical services, visit the New York State Department of Health website.
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