Can J Emerg Med
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The role of air medical and land-based critical care transport services is not always clear amongst traditional emergency medical service providers or hospital-based health care practitioners. Some of this is historical, when air medical services were in their infancy and their role within the broader health care system was limited. Despite their evolution within the regionalized health care system, some myths remain regarding air medical services in Canada. The goal is to clarify several commonly held but erroneous beliefs regarding the role, impact, and practices in air medical transport.
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Population density can limit the level of care that can be provided in local facilities in Ontario, and as such, patients with severe illnesses often require interfacility transfers to access specialized care. This study aimed to identify causes of delay in interfacility transport by air ambulance in Ontario. ⋯ Some common causes of interfacility delay are potentially modifiable: better trip planning around refueling and improved coordination with local EMS, could reduce delays experienced during interfacility trips. To better understand causes of delay, we would benefit from improved documentation and record availability which limited the results in this study.