Does Medical Staffing Influence Perceived Safety? An International Survey on Medical Crew Models in Helicopter Emergency Medical Services

Abstract

Our survey shows a wide variety of medical staffing models in HEMS and indicates that these differences are mainly related to medical competencies and the availability of an assistant in the medical cabin. The responses suggest that differences in medical staffing influence perceived flight and patient safety.

Factors affecting development of air ambulance base: A systematic review and thematic analysis

“…According to the reports of some studies, there is a training syllabus for air ambulance personnel in some countries, including Norway, the United States, and England, consistent with their national standards,[ 39 ] as their knowledge and skill are vital for providing high quality and safe services. [ 40 41 42 ] Lack of training and personnel's incorrect perception of conditions of physical changes affect the patient physiology during flight, while also leading to the severity of injuries and side effects such as bleeding, hemothorax, and pneumothorax.…”

“…In general, there is disagreement on the ideal combination of the medical group,[ 15 ] though studies revealed that the presence of a physician improves the quality of the services. [ 39 45 ] Sahebi et al . suggested that comprehensive training programs should be implemented for effective management of the air emergency process during disasters.…”

“…[ 51 ] Setting up and implementing standard safety training is considered as one of the ways to reduce the risks of air ambulance. [ 39 ] In addition, US Transportation Safety Association reports indicate the need for safety training and preparation for difficult and dangerous situations for medical staff. [ 52 ]…”

Medical Evacuation and Liquidation of the Medical-Sanitary Aftereffects in Crisis

“…At the same time, the necessary condition for a successful ME improvement is additional training of the MT crew's specialists to constantly increase their qualifications. 21,22 The decreasing of MT crews is another important and often unresolved problem. Important problems are bad roads, the fuel limit, and non-working vehicles.…”

“…But it must be remembered that the correct chosen transport remains necessary to avoid the complications in time and after transportation. [22][23][24] For example, the height rising in aircraft flight leads to the atmosphere pressure reducing that may cause hypoxia and the gas expansion in the patient's body cavities, 25,26 which can cause dangerous physiological reactions for the patient. 27 One more is the undesirable usage of aircraft for ME purposes in places of biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons usage because of the possible infection or poisoning of the crew.…”