Two confirmed dead in HEMS crash.
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Aidey
Community Leader Emeritus
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3 dead. And to make it even more disgusting they transported the patient via ground after the crash.
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I'm so tired of reading about LODDs.
Heard about this this morning, why the bird if the pt went by ground anyways? Although I do know it was a pediatric specialty team.
Either way my heart and mind goes out to all those involved and affected by this :-(
Heard about this this morning, why the bird if the pt went by ground anyways? Although I do know it was a pediatric specialty team.
Either way my heart and mind goes out to all those involved and affected by this :-(
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Why? If there were no other helicopters available what is the other option?
It's a terrible tragedy, but I don't see how the patient later going by ground (without further context) makes it any worse than it already is.
Aidey
Community Leader Emeritus
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Because if they were able to transport him by ground, why the bloody hell was a heilo called in the first place?
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The pediatric specialty team flies out on a helicopter as is common nationwide. The helicopter tragically crashes but the patient still needs to be transferred. There are no other (aeromedical or other) pediatric specialty teams available in the region and the patient still needs to be transferred. What do they do next?
The point is there is no information whatsoever in the articles posted or otherwise that shows any inappropriate use of a helicopter. I'd be willing to bet the majority of times that a helicopter crashes enroute to a patient that the patient ends up being transported by ground anyway as it is probably faster to just transfer the patient rather than wait for another helicopter if there is even one available.
I am right there with everyone else who believes that HEMS is far over utilized. I am disappointed by coworkers who call the helicopter out an airborne standby based purely on initial dispatch information. But by the same token, there are indeed situations where a helicopter is indicated and this very well may have been one of them. We are frequently forced to transport by ground where I work due to weather when a helicopter would be the transportation mode of choice. The post-ROSC patient two hours from the hospital would certainly benefit from aeromedical, but if the weather isn't cooperating we are still going to drive them.
I would bet 98% of helo transports don't affect patient outcome or mortality at all....
It is sad, every time I see the crew flying someone out of our ER or off the scene I always be sure to wish them all a safe flight home. Thoughts and prayers to the families and coworkers of those that died and those affected.