When do you request a medical helicopter to a scene?
Most captains and battalion chiefs will err on the side of caution and at least put the aircraft on standby.
But how do you determine whether to launch it?
Again, many officers will err on the side of caution and airlift patients who could probably have gone by ground ambulance.
My guests on this episode have some tips for deciding when to fly a patient. Cory Moser is the operations division chief at Prescott Fire and Joseph Uridil is the clinical base supervisor for Native Air 4 in Prescott, which is operated by Air Methods.
Understanding When to Request a Helicopter for Your Patient
The American College of Emergency Physicians’ report
NAEMSP Guidelines for Air Medical Dispatch
Arizona’s flowchart for triage decision-making
Trivia question:
When was the first non-military trauma patient transport by air in the US , and who made it?
Answer:
The Maryland State Police aviation program, in March, 1970, became the first civilian agency to transport a critically injured trauma patient by helicopter.
