Comparison of Helicopter & Ground
Ambulance Transport Times
When is the helicopter faster?
A retrospective study completed in Fresno
and Kings County used records from an EMS database to demonstrate overall
helicopter versus ground ambulance transport times. Data collected between June
1996 and June 2000 included 8,929 transported patients, 30% were of trauma
patients with 47% transported to the regional Level I trauma center. Records
included 1,075 helicopter transports, 715 Simultaneous Dispatch (SD) and 360
Non Simultaneous Dispatch (NSD), and 7,854 ground ambulance runs. SD referred
to helicopter dispatched simultaneously with ground unit within 5 minutes of
the initial 911 call, while NSD referred to helicopter dispatch after ground
unit response. All inter-facility transfers were excluded. The transport time
was defined as the time in minutes from the receipt of the initial 911 call to
arrival at the receiving hospital. Transport distance was defined as the
straight-line distance between the scene location and the receiving hospital.
Overall, ground transport yielded the
shortest transport time when scenes were within 10 miles of the hospital. When
greater than 10 miles away from the hospital, quickest transport resulted from
SD helicopter immediately after the 911 call. Finally, when helicopter dispatch
was delayed until after ground personnel assessed the patient (NSD), helicopter
transport time did not become shorter until the distance from the hospital was
greater than 45 miles.
Despite these findings, many variables
factors such as cost, severity of illness, and condition of patient. The
decision should not be made on the basis of cost alone, because there may be
some benefit in delivering a higher level of care to a scene even if transport
is not faster. For more information, see:
Diaz, M.A., Hendey, G.W., Bivins, H.G.
(2005). When is the helicopter faster? A comparison of helicopter and ground
ambulance transport times. The Journal of Trauma Injury, Infection, and
Critical Care, 58, 148-153. [review prepared by Laura Rosenthal BSN RN
CCRN] |
