The impact of a helicopter emergency medical services program on potential morbidity and mortality

• Published in: Air medical journal 1997-04, Vol.16 (2), p.48-50
• Main Authors: Powell, D.G., Hutton, K., King, J.K., Mark, L., McLellan, H.M., McNab, J., Mears, D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Ambulances - statistics & numerical data; Canada - epidemiology; Emergency Medical Services; Health administration; helicopter emergency medical services; Hospitals, Urban; Morbidity; Mortality; Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Program Evaluation; utilization
• ISSN: 1067-991X; 1532-6497
• DOI: 10.1016/S1067-991X(97)90090-0

Introduction: The evaluation of the effectiveness of helicopter emergency medical services is currently a major focus of air transport research, and dispatch judgment likely will play a significant role in any research aimed at measuring outcome or impact. Setting: Two rotor-wing programs in Alberta, Canada. Methods: A panel of experts evaluated the effectiveness of a helicopter service in Canada. Four hundred sequential patient records were examined and categorized into four risk levels. Level 1 included patients who required critical intervention. Level 2 included patients in whom a major deterioration of vital signs could be expected. Level 3 patients were those for whom transport by an advanced life support ground unit would have been adequate. Level 4 was strictly for missions in which patient transport by any other means would have been impractical, such as remote locations (these cases were double-rated). Results: Risk level 1 included 98 cases (24.5%); risk level 2, 266 cases (66.5%); risk level 3, 36 cases (9%); and risk level 4, 16 cases, two of which were rated level 1, 11 rated level 2, and three rated level 3. Conclusion: The results indicate that in 91% of the reviewed cases, helicopter transport was appropriate, representing a reasonable and judicious use of a helicopter emergency medical service.