A 6-Year Analysis of German Emergency Medical Services Helicopter Crashes

Annual Cost of Civilian EMS: An Analysis of Navy Expenditures in Southern California

Objective: Southern California Naval hospitals incur substantial costs through the use of civilian emergency medical services (EMS) as they lack an internal transportation team. This study aimed to quantify the volume and the associated charges for these transports in the Southern California area as these are currently unknown. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of de-identified billing claims accessed through the Military Health System Management Analysis and Reporting Tool (M2) system. Data collected included the number and type of transports from Naval Hospitals in the Southern California area as well as the resulting charges. Data from Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) and Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton (NHCP) were collected over the 2018 and 2019 fiscal years. Results: There were 19,886 and 19,014 total ambulance transports in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Of these, about a quarter (8674/38900, 22.3%) were 9-1-1 calls from the patient's home resulting in an admission at a military treatment facility or network hospital. The majority were interfacility transports (20138/38900, 51.8%). These included transports from hospital discharge to home (3900/38900, 10.0%), transfers between hospitals (1648/38900, 4.2%), transfers from an office to a hospital (1818/38900, 4.7%), and transport for medical care (11682/38900, 30.0%). A large portion of these transports were for unclear transport needs (10088/38900, 25.9%). TRICARE paid $3,872,057 in 2018 and $4,004,996 in 2019 for a total of $7,877,053 spent on ambulance transport over the 2 years analyzed. Outside health insurance paid $10,217,016 over the same timeframe for these same claims. Conclusion: The interfacility transport costs incurred between NMCSD and NHCP are substantial, possibly leaving room for cost savings to be determined by further studies.

Parent Perceptions on Transfers to Pediatric Emergency Departments and the Role of Telemedicine

OBJECTIVE

Real-time audiovisual consultation (telemedicine) has been proven feasible and is a promising alternative to interfacility transfer. We sought to describe caregiver perceptions of the decision to transfer his or her child to a pediatric emergency department and the potential use of telemedicine as an alternative to transfer.

METHODS

Semistructured interviews of caregivers of patients transferred to a pediatric emergency department. Purposive sampling was used to recruit caregivers of patients who were transferred from varying distances and different times of the day. Interviews were conducted in person or on the phone by a trained interviewer. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using modified grounded theory.

RESULTS

Twenty-three caregivers were interviewed. Sixteen (70%) were mothers; 57% of patients were transported from hospitals outside of the city limits. Most caregivers reported transfer for a specific resource need, such as a pediatric subspecialist. Generally, caregivers felt that the decision to transfer was made unilaterally by the treating physician, although most reported feeling comfortable with the decision. Almost no one had heard about telemedicine; after hearing a brief description, most were receptive to the idea. Caregivers surmised that telemedicine could reduce the risks and cost associated with transfer. However, many felt telemedicine would not be applicable to their particular situation.

CONCLUSIONS

In this sample, caregivers were comfortable with the decision to transfer their child and identified potential benefits of telemedicine as either an adjunct to or replacement of transfer. As hospitals use advanced technology, providers should consider families' opinions about risks and out-of-pocket costs and tailoring explanations to address individual situations.

[Importance of helicopter rescue]

Helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) have become a main part of prehospital emergency medical services over the last 40 years. Recently, an ongoing discussion about financial shortage and personal shortcomings question the role of cost-intensive air rescue. Thus, the value of HEMS must be examined and discussed appropriately. Since the number of physician-staffed ground ambulances may decrease due to the limited availability of qualified physicians, HEMS may fill the gap. In addition patient transfer to specialized hospitals will require an increasing number of air transports in order to minimize prehospital time. The higher risk ratio for HEMS missions when compared with ground rescue requires a rigorous quality management system. When it comes to missions in remote and exposed areas, the scope of medical treatment must be adjusted to the individual situation. Medical competence is key in order to balance guideline compliant or maximal care versus optimal care characterized as a mission-specific, individualized emergency care concept. Although, medical decision making and treatment is typically based on the best scientific evidence, personal skills, competence, and the mission scenario will determine the scope of interventions suitable to improve outcome. Thus, the profile of requirements for the HEMS medical crew is high.

When place and time matter: How to conduct safe inter-hospital transfer of patients

Inter-hospital transfer (IHT) of patients is often needed for diagnostic or therapeutic interventions. However, the transfer process carries its own risks as a poorly and hastily conducted transfer could lead to adverse events. In this article, we have reviewed literature on the key elements of IHT process including pre-transfer patient stabilization. We have also discussed various modes of transfer, physiological effects of transfer, possible adverse events and how to avoid or mitigate these. Even critically ill-patients can be transported safely by experienced and trained personnel using appropriate equipment. The patient must be maximally stabilized prior to transfer though complete optimization may be possible only at the receiving hospital. Ground or air transport may be employed depending on the urgency, feasibility and availability. Meticulous pre-transfer check and adherence to standard protocols during the transfer will help keep the entire process smooth and event free. The transport team should be trained to anticipate and manage any possible adverse events, medical or technical, during the transfer. Coordination between the referring and receiving hospitals would facilitate prompt transfer to the definitive destination avoiding delay at the emergency or casualty. Documentation of the transfer process and transfer of medical record and investigation reports are important for maintaining continuity of medical care and for medico-legal purposes.

Injury severity and seating position in accidents with German EMS helicopters

INTRODUCTION

Accident rates and fatality rates for Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) missions have been investigated recently, but none of these studies considered the influence of the seating position in the helicopter. The aim of the present descriptive and observational study was to analyze injury severity depending on the seating position during HEMS accidents in Germany.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data from the German Federal Agency for Flight Accident Investigation was gathered for a period of 40 years (from 1970 to 2009). The seating position in the aircraft during the accident and the resulting injury severity (i.e., 1=no; 2=slight; 3=severe; and 4=fatal) were recorded. Injury severity was compared using the Fisher's exact test. P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of n=99 accidents were investigated (n=61 accidents did not lead to any injuries in the occupants, n=7 accidents resulted in minor, and n=6 in severe injuries, and lethal injuries resulted from n=15 accidents). The occupant in the "patient" position was most likely to suffer from deadly injuries (44.9%), followed by the HEMS crew member rear seat (25.0%), compared to lower lethality rates in the other seating positions (9.4-11.2%). Sitting on the HEMS crew member rear seat also was associated with the highest percentage of severe and minor injuries (12.5% each).

CONCLUSIONS

In HEMS accidents, the patients' position and the HEMS crew member rear seat were found to be at the highest risk for fatal or severe injuries. These results support the urgent requirement of a large international data base for HEMS accidents as a basis for further studies to improve the safety in HEMS missions.

Does helicopter transport impact outcome following trauma?

Helicopter transport (HT) has evolved from military roots into a critical component of trauma systems throughout the world. Concerns over cost and safety continue to challenge the role of HT in the civilian setting. Despite this, recent evidence has demonstrated a survival advantage for trauma patients undergoing HT. For patients transported from the scene of injury, improved survival has been shown in several multicenter studies as well as evaluation of large national databases. Issues of overtriage, however, remain problematic for scene HT and represent a prime area for future research in helicopter emergency medical systems (EMS). Patients undergoing inter-facility transfer have also been shown to have improved outcomes over ground transport in terms of shorter transfer times and increased survival particularly in more severely injured patients. The benefits seen are likely a result of a combination of rapid transport, advanced medical capabilities, and accessibility to remote terrain. Several subgroups of patients undergoing HT have been the subject of study as well. Patients with severe head injury have consistently been shown to have superior outcomes over ground ambulance, attributable to improvements in airway management early in the course of their injury. Conversely, HT for urban and penetrating injury has not seen similar benefits, likely due to proximity of trauma centers and recent advancements in urban EMS systems. The benefits of including physicians in helicopter crews are less clear and vary by region and system. Helicopter transport for trauma does appear to improve outcomes for trauma patients, and optimizing utilization of this valuable resource will be key as the role of helicopter EMS continues to develop within trauma systems.

Application of the FIA score to German rescue helicopter accidents to predict fatalities in Helicopter Emergency Medical Systems (HEMS) crashes

BACKGROUND

In the past several decades, multiple studies have examined factors influencing occupant survival in aviation crashes, but only a few have addressed this question in Helicopter Emergency Medical Systems (HEMS) accidents. The four-point FIA Score is a valid tool to measure fatality risk in aviation crashes.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to analyze the performance of the FIA Score when applied to German HEMS accidents, and to determine the prognostic value for fatalities and for survival.

METHODS

The FIA Score uses three parameters (F=fire; I=Instrument meteorological conditions; A=Away from airport) to determine the fatality risk after crashes. Data for German HEMS accidents between October 1970 and December 2009 were gathered retrospectively from the Federal Agency for Flight Accident Investigation. Accidents were graded according to the FIA Score by two emergency physician-pilots, and crash fatality rates (CFR) were calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 99 HEMS accidents were analyzed that occurred from September 1970 to December 2009. In 19.2% of these, at least one occupant was fatally injured. There were 63 accidents (63.6%) that took place with no injuries; 8 occurred with minor injuries (8.1%); and 9 resulted in major injuries (9.1%). A total of 72 data sets were complete and were used for analysis. Depending on the FIA Score (FIA0, FIA1, FIA2, and FIA3), CFRs of 0.0%, 8.1%, 53.3%, and 100.0%, respectively, were calculated.

CONCLUSIONS

The FIA Score is a valuable tool in German HEMS accident analysis. It can predict fatalities and is easy to use. Thus, it may also be a valuable tool in EMS call centers to predict survival after a crash.

Incidents, accidents and fatalities in 40 years of German helicopter emergency medical system operations

CONTEXT

Currently, approximately 100 000 helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) missions for patients are undertaken in Germany each year. Compared to the early years, risk has reduced significantly, but is still higher than commercial aviation or other airborne operations.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to evaluate helicopter accidents and fatalities related to HEMS operations.

DESIGN

Retrospective study of HEMS accidents in Germany.

SETTING

Analysis of accidents in the published flight accident reports of the German Federal Agency for Flight Accident Investigation (40-year period from 1970 to 2009). Data were collected by telephone interview with the operators, manual search of publications and by supplemental internet information.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Data were analysed per 10 000 missions. For statistical analysis, Fisher[Combining Acute Accent]s exact test was used. A P value less than 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

During the period analysed, a total of 1.698 million HEMS missions (1970 vs. 2009: 61 vs. 98 471) were flown by a mean of 50 ± 27 (1 vs. 81) helicopters. To date, missions resulted in a total of 99 accidents with a mean of 2.4 ± 1.7 accidents per year (range 0-7). The accident rate was 0.57 (0-11.4) per 10 000 missions and the fatal accident rate was 0.11 (0-0.5). Some 64% of missions did not result in any injuries to occupants, whereas 19.2% were fatal. From the accidents analysed, 43.4% were due to collision with an obstacle during landing, take-off or hovering. Landing was the phase of flight most often associated with accidents (44.4%).

CONCLUSION

The present study is the largest on HEMS accidents and the only one analysing an entire 40-year time course beginning with inception. In comparison to previous data, a significantly lower accident rate per 10 000 missions was found. Gathering data on the early years is nearly impossible, and further analysis is required to calculate the risk of fatality or identify injury patterns.

Fixed-wing medical transport crashes: characteristics associated with fatal outcomes

INTRODUCTION

Previous studies within the aeromedical literature have looked at factors associated with fatal outcomes in helicopter medical transport, but no analysis has been conducted on fixed-wing aeromedical flights. The purpose of this study was to look at fatality rates in fixed-wing aeromedical transport and compare them with general aviation and helicopter aeromedical flights.

METHODS

This study looked at factors associated with fatal outcomes in fixed-wing aeromedical flights, using the National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Incident Database from 1984 to 2009.

RESULTS

Fatal outcomes were significantly higher in medical flights (35.6 vs. 19.7%), with more aircraft fires (20.3 vs. 10.5%) and on-ground collisions (5.1 vs. 2.0%) compared with commercial flights. Aircraft fires occurred in 12 of the 21 fatal crashes (57.1%), compared with only 2 of the 38 nonfatal crashes (5.3%) (P < .001). In the multiple logistic regression model, the only factor with increased odds of a fatal outcome was the presence of a fire (56.89; 95% CI, 4.28-808.23).

CONCLUSIONS

Similar to published studies in helicopter medical transport, postcrash fires are the primary factor associated with fatal outcomes in fixed-wing aeromedical flights.

Helicopter emergency medical services accident rates in different international air rescue systems

Aim

Each year approximately two to four helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) crashes occur in Germany. The aim of the present study was to compare crash rates and fatal crash rates in Germany to rates in other countries.

Materials and methods

A MEDLINE search from 1970 to 2009 was performed using combinations of the keywords “HEMS”, “rescue helicopter”, “accident”, “accident rate”, “crash”, and “crash rate”. The search was supplemented by additional published data. Data were compared on the basis of 10,000 missions and 100,000 helicopter flying hours. These data were allocated to specific time frames for analyis.

Results

Eleven relevant studies were identified. Five studies (three from Germany, one from the US, one from Australia) analyzing HEMS accidents on the basis of 10,000 missions were identified. Crash rates per 10,000 missions ranged between 0.4 and 3.05 and fatal crash rates between 0.04 and 2.12. In addition, nine studies (six from the US, two from Germany, one from Australia) used 100,000 flying hours as a denominator. Here, crash rates ranged between 1.7 and 13.4 and fatal crash rates between 0.91 and 4.7.

Conclusions

Data and accident rates were inhomogeneous and differed significantly. Data analysis was impeded by publication of mean data, use of different time frames, and differences in HEMS systems.

Pro/con debate: do the benefits of regionalized critical care delivery outweigh the risks of interfacility patient transport?

You are providing input in planning for critical care services to a large regional health authority. You are considering concentrating some critical care services into high-volume regional centres of excellence, as has been done in other fields of medicine. In your region, this would require several centres with differing levels of expertise that are geographically separated. Given there are inherent risks and time delays associated with interfacility patient transport, you debate whether these potential risks outweigh the benefits of regional centres of excellence.

Breathing easier--good news from air medicine

Safety in transport is a major concern. Air medical crashes are in the public eye, but a greater risk of transport may be in the clinical care provided along the way. While the media focuses on the drama of helicopters landing on scene, the greatest and most common risk actually occurs during inter-hospital transport. For too long, transport has been a black hole in clinical medicine and the real rate of adverse events is unknown. New work from the University of Pennsylvania should make us all breathe a little easier.