HEMS
HEMS AND THE GOLDEN HOUR
If you are severely injured, a helicopter flight to a top- level trauma center will boost your chance of survival
over ground transport. That’s the conclusion of a rigorous national comparison of the effectiveness of helicopter versus ground emergency medical services, as published in the April 18, 2012, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Survival after trauma has increased in recent years, given
improvements in emergency medical services coupled with the rapid transportation of trauma patients to centers capable of providing the most advanced care. What has not been clear until this study is the effectiveness of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS). According to the American Trauma Society, trauma is the
No. 1 cause of death in the United States for persons under the age of 44. Trauma is defined as an acute personal wound or injury requiring immediate care. Between 140,000 and 160,000 trauma-related deaths occur nationwide every year. For each death, at least two permanent disabilities occur. The total annual cost of accidental death and disability in the United States is estimated to exceed $110 billion. Despite the staggering cost, trauma remains “the neglected disease.”
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HelicopterMaintenanceMagazine.com October | November 2013 STARS
Helicopter Maintenance – How did STARS come into being? STARS – The helicopter air ambulance program, initially named Lions Air Ambulance Service, was established in 1985, and the first mission was flown in December of that year to transport a critically ill infant to tertiary care in Calgary. Relationships, people and the commitment to respond to the needs of the critically ill and injured are the foundation of STARS’ journey from a dream and vision to reality. From that
R. Fred Polak | Editor
Medical treatment of trauma within the first hour, often referred to as the “golden hour,” can prevent 20–30 percent of potential deaths and reduce hospitalization times dramati- cally. Helicopter air ambulance programs are a key resource in delivering trauma victims to trauma centers within the golden hour. For this article, we talked with two HEMS operators: Shock
Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS), headquartered in Cal- gary, Alberta, Canada; and Air Evac Lifeteam, headquartered in O’Fallon, MO.
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