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Characteristics of patients transported by an air ambulance critical care team
Emergency Medicine Journal, 06/08/2012
Catherall JA et al. – This review provides an overview of the characteristics of patients transferred to a major receiving hospital by a prehospital critical care team.
Methods- Retrospective data were collected for all patients transferred to Frenchay Hospital by the Great Western Air Ambulance between 1June 2008 and 1March 2010.
- 115 patients were included in the review.
- Patients were conveyed up to 85km, 79% bypassing the closest emergency department (ED).
- 51% of these patients had major trauma and 35% were intubated at the scene.
- On arrival, the mean time to CT scan was 78min, reduced to 63min for those with a head injury.
- 16% of patients were discharged from the ED.
