• Alexander Fjaeldstad, Morten Hasager Kirk, Lars Knudsen, Jesper Bjerring, and Erika F Christensen.
• Research Department, Prehospital Emergency Medical Services, Region of Central Jutland, Aarhus, Denmark. alefja@rm.dk
• Dan Med J. 2013 Jul 1;60(7):A4666.

IntroductionSince 2007, the number of Danish emergency departments has decreased from 44 to 21. Longer distances to specialized treatment have increased the demand for advanced prehospital treatment. A Danish 24/7 Helicopter Emergency Medical System (HEMS) project in western Denmark was initiated on 6 January 2011. The HEMS provides prehospital care delivered by a specialized anaesthesiologist. This study evaluated the effect of HEMS on the time to treatment by a physician (time-to-doctor) and the time from a 112 emergency call to arrival at the highly specialized centre (time-to-centre) for patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or severe injury (Injury Severity Score > 15).Material And MethodsIn this prospective study with a matched historical control group, the time-to-doctor and the time-to-centre for patients with STEMI or severe injury transported by HEMS were compared with geographically matched patients with the same diagnoses and who were transported by ambulance.ResultsTime-to-centre was reduced from 102 to 84 min. for STEMI and from 322 to 97 min. for severely injured patients after HEMS implementation. HEMS did not substantially reduce time-to-doctor, mainly because of increased availability of physician-staffed cars. In 56% of cases, HEMS was dispatched secondarily more than 30 min. after the ambulance had been dispatched.ConclusionUsing HEMS reduced time to arrival at a highly specialized centre for patients with STEMI or severe injury. Simultaneous dispatch of an ambulance and HEMS shows potential for further reduction in the time-to-centre and the time-to-doctor.Fundingnot relevant.Trial RegistrationThe trial is registered at the Danish Data Protection Agency.

16 keywords...

hide…