Citation

Thibodaux DP, Bourgeois RM, Loeppke RR, Konicki DL, Hymel PA, Dreger M. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 2014; 56(7): 681-685.

Affiliation

From Safety Management Systems (Dr Thibodaux), Lafayette; Bourgeois Medical Clinic (Dr Bourgeois), Morgan City, La; US Preventive Medicine, Inc (Dr Loeppke), Brentwood, Tenn; KDK Solutions, Ltd (Ms Konicki), Chicago, Ill; Disney Parks and Resorts (Dr Hymel), Yorba Linda, Calif; and American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Ms Dreger), Elk Grove Village, Ill.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/JOM.0000000000000221

PMID

24988094

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To identify reasons for air medical evacuations from oil rigs/platforms.

METHODS: Retrospective review of data of medical calls from 102 rigs/platforms in the US Gulf Coast from 2008 through 2012 with specific analysis of medevacs.

RESULTS: On average, 1609 total calls per year relating to illness or injury on the 102 oil rigs/platforms with 4% to 7% requiring medical air evacuation. On average, 77% of medevacs were for nonoccupational medical injury or illness.

CONCLUSIONS: Illness, not occupational injuries, is identified as the major reason for medical evacuations from oil rigs. Heart disease is the leading cause of chronic health conditions resulting in a medevac.

Language: en