Helicopter EMS- Con

[Richard B the EMT]

At a recent public hearing concerning the closing of a hospital serving an isolated area, one of the commentators yelling at the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health suggested Helicopter EMS be expanded. I was unable to speak with that individual privately, following the hearing.

We in EMT City are also a vocal bunch. This is one of 2 parallel strings on HEMS, this one for Con on the topic, the other will be for Pro.

Comment away, folks!

Edited May 25, 2012 by Richard B the EMT

[Bieber]

Where's the evidence of benefit for the majority of patients transported by air?

[cscboulder11]

-Can take a while to get the heli out to pts

-Limited by weather

-Limited by range

-Needs a LZ, which takes time to find and clear a suitable one

-Not always faster than ground transport

[Just Plain Ruff]

Often are overutilized by crews

Often are used as crutches for conditions that might not warrant air ambulance transports

[scott33]

Activation of HEMS by people who are little more than first aiders. Lots of examples of them being used (in populated areas) for simple extremity fractures.

[Chief1C]

...for a rural provider, I've treated a good number of people over the years. Some really personal calls, some that stained my mind for life. I rarely use a chopper, but there are some folks that are walking among us today, because I chose that method of transport. I'm a sore loser, when ppl die for lack of time, I second guess myself to death. One patient, died because people overuse helicopters. Used to be, hell you could call one for a broken toe, and you'd get one. Too many people called for broken toes - well, you know what I mean. They changed the protocols, so one has to call HEMS Medical Command, before a flight is granted, for everything except a trauma.

STEMI's, CVA's, stuff that requires immediate special center care.. I don't have a choice, because I can't safely get to one in time to make a difference. One MI, I couldn't call Medical Command. No cell service, no VHF radio service. Dispatch passed the info I had along, and the HEMS Med Command wouldn't hear it. My request was denied. My patient died enroute, 25min after my request was denied.

Edited May 28, 2012 by 1 C

[mikeymedic1984]

Since flightmedic is the most dangerous job in America, I cannot recommend subjecting patients to this danger on a regular basis

[Kiwiology]

Helicopters are over rated and over used, in the overwhelming majority of patients they offer little benefit and disproportionately increase risk

[Arctickat]

Hmmm, okay...The HEMS base is 106nm away from my hospital, The helo flies at an airspeed of 120kts and anyone involved in flight knows that a headwind slows you down more than a tailwind speeds you up, but, for the sake of this, we'll say there is no wind...at all. 212nm round trip, 1hr, 45 min flight time. Patient care and preparation for flight, 45 minutes, (minimum) Overall transport time, 2.5 hours if the patient is lucky.

Ground transport...2 hours.

Can someone tell me how this is an improvement?

Let's add this to the mix....The helo currently, and for the next several months...even years,...has to land at the airport rather than a landing pad at the tertiary facility. This adds another 15 minutes to the trip for ground transport from the airport to the hospital.

[Arctickat]

Another thing that frosts my coconut is that Flight medics and ground medics are both the same level of training, yet the flight medics have a greater scope of practice. These flight medics have the patient for a shorter duration, the ground medics often transport patients that are just as critical for longer transport times. Why can't they have the same scope as their aviating counterparts with identical training and education?