The Journal of surgical research.2022，Vol.2737.DOI:10.1016/j.jss.2021.12.038

Overutilization of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services in Central Gulf Coast Region Results in Unnecessary Expenditure

Miles, Victoria P. Beasley, Justin R. Reed, Haylie E. Miles, Daniel T. Haiflich, Andrew Beckett, Allison R. Lee, Yann-Leei Bowden, Stephen E. Panacek, Edward A. Ding, Linda Brevard, Sidney B. Simmons, Jon D. Butts, C. Caleb
The Journal of surgical research.2022，Vol.2737.DOI:10.1016/j.jss.2021.12.038
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  • NSTL
  • Elsevier

Overutilization of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services in Central Gulf Coast Region Results in Unnecessary Expenditure

Miles, Victoria P. 1Beasley, Justin R. 1Reed, Haylie E. 1Miles, Daniel T. 2Haiflich, Andrew 1Beckett, Allison R. 1Lee, Yann-Leei 1Bowden, Stephen E. 1Panacek, Edward A. 1Ding, Linda 1Brevard, Sidney B. 1Simmons, Jon D. 1Butts, C. Caleb1
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作者信息

  • 1. Sch Med,Univ S Alabama
  • 2. Sch Med,Univ Mississippi
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Abstract

Introduction: When appropriately used, helicopter emergency medical services (HEMSs) allow for timely delivery of severely injured patients to definitive care. Inappropriate uti-lization of HEMSs results in increased cost to the patient and trauma system. The purpose of this study was to review current HEMS criteria in the central Gulf Coast region and evaluate for potential areas of triage refinement and cost savings. We hypothesized that a significant number of patients received potentially unwarranted HEMS transport. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of all patients with trauma arriving to a level I trauma center by helicopter over 28 mo was performed; 381 patients with trauma and with HEMS transport from the scene were included. Data were collected from prehospital sources, as well as hospital chart review for each patient. The primary outcome was the rate of un-warranted HEMS transport. Results: A total of 381 adult patients with trauma transported by the HEMS were analyzed, of which 34% were deemed potentially nonwarranted transports. The significant factors correlating with warranted HEMS transport included age, multiple long bone fractures, penetrating mechanism, and vehicle ejection. Insurance demographics did not correlate to transport modality. Many of these patients were transported from a location within the same county or the county adjacent to the trauma center. When comparing patients transported by ground and HEMSs from the same scene, no time savings were identified. Unwarranted transports at the trauma center represented an estimated health care expenditure of over $3 million. Conclusions: HEMSs may be overused in the central Gulf Coast region, creating the risk for a substantial resource and financial burden to the trauma system. Further collaboration is needed to establish HEMS triage criteria, that is, more appropriate use of resources. (C) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Key words

Helicopter/EMS/Emergency medical services/Air medical transport/Trauma systems/Resource utilization/GROUND AMBULANCE TRANSPORT/INJURED PATIENTS/TRAUMA PATIENTS/SCENE TRANSPORT/DECISION-MAKING/FIELD TRIAGE/SURVIVAL/AIR/ASSOCIATION/GUIDELINES

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出版年

2022
The Journal of surgical research.

The Journal of surgical research.

ISSN：0022-4804
参考文献量45
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