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Thu Dec 30 00:53:17 GMT 2010

Air is FANTASTIC for off shore, wilderness, or high rise  rescue.   If one 
is using the helicopter as an air frame ambulance,  the predominance of 
literature and meta analysis states the following: 

1.    From first call to arrival at definitive facility,  ground is better 
than air
2.    Costs of air is 20-25 times greater than ground
3.    Survival is better statistically for ground than  air.
4.    For organ recovery for transplants in brain dead  patients, ground is 
better than air
5.    For crashes, air is more dangerous than ground
6.    For advertising for the company that owns the  ambulance, air is 
better than ground.   
7.    For overall beneficial outcomes ground is better than  air, 
especially for the conditions you made for your case.  

k

In a message dated 12/29/2010 6:48:19 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
dwseastrom at cmh.edu writes:

I know  there was a question posted on here earlier about policies.  I also 
have  a question as to whether anyone has policies/guidelines/protocols as 
to the  transfers of their patients and how they are getting from Point A - 
Point  B.  I guess I'm wondering if anyone has it spelled out that these  
patients (i.e. aortic tears, etc.) will get air transport preferentially or  
ground, etc.  Does anyone also have a "back-up" plan in writing in case a  
patient who is very sick has to go by ground EMS for a bit of a distance and  
maybe 1 Paramedic is insufficient to care for him/her  
(nurses/residents/attendings to accompany the patient, etc.).

I know  there has also been some discussion around what's appropriate for 
air (with  the recent crash in Missouri) floating around and was curious if 
anyone has  seen any evidence based info out there on this?  I've been 
digging and  ready a lot of the papers and it seems there really isn't too much of 
a  concensus (unless I'm missing something).  The only thing I have found  
some consistency in is that it is only beneficial to the "most critically  
injured" patients.  I've also seen the guideline recommendations from  AAMS

Any input on either topic would be great and  appreciated!

Thanks a bunch and stay WARM!  :)

David  Seastrom RN, BSN, EMT-I
Trauma Injury Prevention / Outreach
Education  Coordinator
The Children's Mercy Hospitals & Clinics
Kansas City,  MO.  64108
Office:  816-983-6917
Fax:  816-234-3821
Pager:  816-458-4995
E-mail:   dwseastrom at cmh.edu<mailto:dwseastrom at cmh.edu>

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