Report shows helicopters are not the fastest transport for short distances
The Italian report published in the Air Medical Journal by Andrea Paoli and his team concludes that helicopters should not be used for emergency transports less than 50 kilometers long
The study was conducted with 115 helicopter air ambulance (HAA) operations in 2018 in Italy. Additionally, using geographic information systems and estimated ambulance data, the study compared air and ground emergency medical services.
HAA operations varied in time throughout the study, mainly between 45 minutes and two hours. The HAA operations observed in the study were used between 25 and 40 kilometers. Compared to ground ambulances, the mission time overall did not vary significantly.
The study concludes that helicopters are not always the fastest transport for patients as journey time is very variable. The authors of the study propose not to use helicopter for transports less than 50 kilometers long.
Clara Bullock
Clara Bullock is a writer for ITIJ and AirMed&Rescue. Initially a freelance writer for publications ranging from gardening news to music magazines, she has made the transition to writing about the ins and outs of travel insurance and aeromedicine. In her spare time she reviews books on Instagram and eats pasta.