Re: Re: Helicopter EMS Re-Validated?

January 16, 2011

Remember this is just a minimum to remain within the terms of the certificate.

It's sort of like minimum wage; you hope that's not what you get, but at least

you're guaranteed that.

-Brad

Sent via BlackBerry, the office that follows you.

Re: Helicopter EMS Re-Validated?

I might defend the use in this case due to the fact it was an MCI.

Depending on unit availability, distance, etc; calling staffed and available

HEMS might not be unreasonable. If it was just a single shooting victim then

I would agree with you, Gene. You should also keep in mind ground ambulance

ingress/egress issues on this particular call. You very likely had many

people trying to leave the parking lot, police trying to keep everyone there

for witness statements, etc.

Overall, HEMS is an overused resource. I don't know the best way to control

it. I don't think this is an obvious example though.

>

> Earlier tonight I drove the route from West Ina and North Oracle, the

scene of the Giffords shooting, to University Medical Center where she was

taken. The distance is 8.7 miles. There are two left turns and two right

turns between the scene and the ambulance dock at UMC. I obeyed all traffic

laws, drove exactly the speed limit, and caught 6 red lights, each timed to

60 seconds. Traffic was moderate, about what I would have expected at 1100

this morning in that area. My elapsed time was 16:07. If I had been

operating Code 3, the Opticom system would have given me all green lights,

cutting at least 6 minutes off the trip. Tell me that a helo can be on scene

and back at the hospital ready to unload in 10 minutes.

>

> The insane misuse of helicopter EMS in Tucson is not only shocking for its

stupidity but cannot possibly contribute to patient outcomes. What can these

people (the people who run Tucson Meds, the medical control system and which

dispatches all helicopters and all ambulances in Pima County, be thinking?

>

> I intend to find out. Stay tuned.

>

> GG

>

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