MedSTAR Transport celebrates 40 years

The US-based MedSTAR Transport air medical service is celebrating its 40^th birthday this year. The service flew its first critical care patient from Prince William County, Virginia, to the MedStar Washington Hospital Center in 1983. It has since gone on to transport nearly 100,000 patients via air and ground ambulance.

Over that time, the program, which serves patients in the northeastern US, has expanded to include a fleet of four air ambulance helicopters and 10 ground ambulances.

MedSTAR also operates a dedicated communications center, a team of approximately 120 medical providers, flight crew members, communications specialists, and others, and serves around 6,000 patients per year.

In addition to its initial helipad at the Washington Hospital Center, the program now maintains helipads at other MedStar Health facilities, including:

• MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
• MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
• MedStar Montgomery Medical Center
• MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center
• MedStar St. Mary's Hospital
• MedStar Union Memorial Hospital.

The MedSTAR Transport service has faced a range of challenges over the course of its history, including the recent Covid-19 pandemic – which saw a 40 per cent increase in traffic volume – as well as responding to provide medical assistance in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon in Washington DC.

Fellow US air medical provider Boston MedFlight recently added a new Cessna Citation CJ4 jet to its fleet.