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Resource utilisation for patients brought to a major trauma centre by helicopter

Resource utilisation for patients brought to a major trauma centre by helicopter
Resource utilisation for patients brought to a major trauma centre by helicopter

Background: Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) allow critical care personnel to attend incidents alongside transporting patients to hospital. The study site is a UK based emergency department and major trauma centre, accepting flights from a wide geographical area. Aims: To characterise the impact of HEMS on a major trauma centre clinical resources and the impact of the UK regional trauma network launch on HEMS asset provision. Methods: Flight case-mix data were obtained from Emergency Department (ED) records (non-trauma patients) and from the Trauma Audit and Research Network database (trauma patients). Statistical analysis was in Excel. Results: 432 flights landed at the site between August 2018 and July 2019. 178 flights originated from the incident scene (145 trauma, 26 non-trauma), 107 from other hospitals, and 5 to other hospitals. Hospitalisation was reduced to a median of 6 days. Conclusions: Primary HEMS trauma patients utilised significant clinical resources but had shorter hospitalisations than those without HEMS intervention. The regional trauma network improved HEMS tasking and utilised critical car cars to provide advanced pre-hospital care locally. Further work should compare HEMS versus ground ambulance to determine the impact of HEMS on patient outcomes and cost implications to both HEMS operators and receiving hospital.

Air ambulance, Emergency, Evaluation, Helicopter, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services, Major trauma centre, Regional trauma network, Review, Trauma
1755-599X
Wright, Alexander
b8ce8429-9354-42a4-8150-0150b30850fc
Freshwater, Els
4e60bb03-907e-4586-ba66-30de71c7502d
Crouch, Robert
c741ee17-0804-435f-b735-69d8d467a8f0
Wright, Alexander
b8ce8429-9354-42a4-8150-0150b30850fc
Freshwater, Els
4e60bb03-907e-4586-ba66-30de71c7502d
Crouch, Robert
c741ee17-0804-435f-b735-69d8d467a8f0

Wright, Alexander, Freshwater, Els and Crouch, Robert (2021) Resource utilisation for patients brought to a major trauma centre by helicopter. International Emergency Nursing, 59, [101072]. (doi:10.1016/j.ienj.2021.101072).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) allow critical care personnel to attend incidents alongside transporting patients to hospital. The study site is a UK based emergency department and major trauma centre, accepting flights from a wide geographical area. Aims: To characterise the impact of HEMS on a major trauma centre clinical resources and the impact of the UK regional trauma network launch on HEMS asset provision. Methods: Flight case-mix data were obtained from Emergency Department (ED) records (non-trauma patients) and from the Trauma Audit and Research Network database (trauma patients). Statistical analysis was in Excel. Results: 432 flights landed at the site between August 2018 and July 2019. 178 flights originated from the incident scene (145 trauma, 26 non-trauma), 107 from other hospitals, and 5 to other hospitals. Hospitalisation was reduced to a median of 6 days. Conclusions: Primary HEMS trauma patients utilised significant clinical resources but had shorter hospitalisations than those without HEMS intervention. The regional trauma network improved HEMS tasking and utilised critical car cars to provide advanced pre-hospital care locally. Further work should compare HEMS versus ground ambulance to determine the impact of HEMS on patient outcomes and cost implications to both HEMS operators and receiving hospital.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 11 August 2021
e-pub ahead of print date: 28 September 2021
Published date: November 2021
Additional Information: Funding Information: We would like to thank J. Smart, TARN Manager, University Hospital Southampton; Trauma Office, University Hospital Southampton; Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance; University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Elsevier Ltd Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Keywords: Air ambulance, Emergency, Evaluation, Helicopter, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services, Major trauma centre, Regional trauma network, Review, Trauma

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 452331
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/452331
ISSN: 1755-599X
PURE UUID: 47442b9b-459b-4e6f-ab7d-5c2797b500a0
ORCID for Els Freshwater: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2805-7044

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Date deposited: 08 Dec 2021 17:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 14:47

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Contributors

Author: Alexander Wright
Author: Els Freshwater ORCID iD
Author: Robert Crouch

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