Air medical journal
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Air medical journal · Mar 1994
A computer-based simulator for air ambulance system analysis, design and optimization.
Little is known about how best to quantitatively measure air medical system performance and optimally manage air medical emergency medical services start-up, operation and growth. Moreover, very little has been done to produce and distribute relevant tools for these critical tasks. ⋯ A notable feature of this model is that it separates the impact of air medical transport on patient survival from subsequent measures undertaken at the emergency department after delivery to the trauma center. The current needs of the air medical transport industry, combined with the progress to date, suggest that computer-based simulators can be a powerful, cost-effective means of extracting meaning from air medical data and applying the results to productive ends.
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Air medical journal · Feb 1994
A review of drug use during air medical transport to optimize an air ambulance formulary.
The advent of air medical transport has pushed the delivery of critical care medicine into the prehospital arena. As a result, a wide variety of pharmacologic agents must be available in the air medical setting. ⋯ As a result of this investigation, the formulary for our air medical transport service was modified. The authors recommend similar critical audits of drugs carried in flight be performed by other air ambulance services.
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The 1994 Avionics and Airframe Survey was sent to 178 chief or lead pilots of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) programs in October 1993, and 100 (56%) were returned. Sixty-four programs (64%) reported that they operate one helicopter exclusively for EMS, 24 (24%) operate two, and 12 (12%) reported using three or more aircraft. Interestingly, the reported percentage of programs with two or more exclusive helicopters continues to rise, increasing by 5.6% to 36%.
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In critically ill patients (e.g., trauma victims) prevention of hypothermia is an important goal. Infusion of warm fluids has been addressed in the hospital setting, but not in the air medical transport setting. ⋯ The IV fluid warmer tested effectively maintains the temperature of warmed IV fluids in temperatures above 2 degrees C. At -16 degrees C there was significant heat loss, but the loss was significantly less when compared to the control group.
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Air medical journal · Nov 1993
Comparative StudyContribution of air medical personnel to the airway management of injured patients.
Air medical services are being pressured to demonstrate their value. Airway management is the first priority of care when treating injured patients in the prehospital setting. Injured patients with decreased Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) are candidates for advanced airway procedures and air medical transport. ⋯ Properly trained air medical personnel positively contribute to the prehospital care of injured patients by establishing definitive airways in patients with higher GCSs.