Activation Intervals for a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service in Japan

Abstract

Introduction

The first seven years of nationally organized helicopter emergency medical services in Finland – the data from quality registry

“…In the future electronic transfer of measurements could be used to reduce typing errors, however, this does not eliminate the errors in measurement per se. The rate of cancelled or denied missions in the Finnish HEMS system is substantially higher than reported elsewhere [6,7,21,22]. Technical reliability of the service seems to be excellent and it contributed to the cancellation rate minimally.…”

“…Key findings of this study were that in the Finnish HEMS system a large proportion of missions are cancelled or denied, and a relatively small percentage of patients are transported by helicopter. We also found that the medical problem for HEMS dispatch differ from comparable systems [7,8,21].…”

“…Trauma is indeed the most common cause of preventable death in the previously healthy [33]., and several studies have found HEMS to provide benefit to this specific patient group [34][35][36]. The second most common medical problem was OHCA, representing a large proportion compared to other systems [7,8,21]. A study in the Finnish population supports dispatching HEMS for OHCA [37]., but it remains largely unclear whether it incurs a survival benefit in this group [2].…”

“…A study in the Finnish population supports dispatching HEMS for OHCA [37]., but it remains largely unclear whether it incurs a survival benefit in this group [2]. Contrary to other comparable systems where stroke and myocardial infarction are common reasons for HEMS dispatch [7,8,21]., Finnish physician-staffed HEMS units are not usually dispatched for these missions, although encounter these patients when dispatched on different criteria, such as decreased level of consciousness. There is evidence suggesting that stroke and MI patients might stand to benefit from primary dispatch of HEMS [29,31].…”

“…5). American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Scale (ASA-PS) classification was available for 91% (30,477) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance classification -made mandatory in the database in 2014 -was available for 90% (21,397) of the patients, the rest being recorded as "unknown". Most patients were classified in ASA-PS classes I and II (64%) and ECOG classes 0 and 1 (82%) ( Table 1).…”