Citation

Thomas F, Wisham J, Clemmer TP, Orme JF, Larsen KG. West. J. Med. 1990; 153(1): 40-43.

Affiliation

Department of Life Flight, LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT 84143.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1990, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

2389575

PMCID

PMC1002464

Abstract

We determined the differences in transport times and costs for patients transported by fixed-wing aircraft versus helicopter at ranges of 101 to 150 radial miles, where fixed-wing and helicopter in-hospital transports commonly overlap. Statistical analysis failed to show a significant difference between the trauma-care patients transported by helicopter (n = 109) and those transported by fixed-wing (n = 86) for age, injury severity score, hospital length of stay, hospital mortality, or discharge disability score. The times in returning patients to the receiving hospital by helicopter (n = 104) versus fixed-wing (n = 509) did not differ significantly. Helicopter transport costs per mile ($24), however, were 400% higher than those of fixed-wing aircraft with its associated ground ambulance transport costs ($6). Thus, helicopter transport is economically unjustified for interhospital transports exceeding 100 radial miles when an efficient fixed-wing service exists.

Language: en