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By Steve Hall |
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December 15, 2010 - New research findings resulting from one of the largest studies of its kind finds strong evidence supporting the transport of trauma patients via air ambulance.
In
a study released by the University of Rochester School
of Medicine, trauma patients transported by helicopter
were found to be more likely to survive and be
discharged to home than those transported by ground.
These results are particularly significant because the average trauma patient transported by helicopter is more severely injured, has a longer transport time, and requires more hospital resources than trauma patients transported by ground ambulance. |
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The Rochester study, entitled, ?Helicopters and the Civilian Trauma System: National Utilization Patterns Demonstrate Improved Outcomes After Traumatic Injury,? compared outcomes of over 250,000 injured patients transported by helicopter and ground ambulance using data from the National Trauma Databank, version 8.
Because
patients transported by helicopter tend to be more severely
injured than those transported by ground, the study took into
account twelve covariates, including mechanism of injury, trauma
center designation, and injury severity score (ISS), when
performing its analysis. Using a stepwise logistic regression
model, helicopter transport was found to be an independent
predictor of survival after adjusting for patient, injury, and
hospital-level variables.
Previous
studies on helicopter transport utilization focused on urban
areas or specific regions of the country. This study, which
includes the largest number of helicopter transport patients
used in a single analysis, broadens the scope by examining the
role of helicopter transport on a national level.
?While we are excited about the publication of these newly released research findings, the data confirms what we already know from our experience in the field,? remarked Dr. Daniel Hankins, MD, FACEP, emergency physician and president of the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS). ?Air-medical transport is a highly effective medical intervention, particularly in rural areas where helicopters increasingly function as the primary access to trauma care.? |