@article{ref1,
title="Medical evacuations in the oil and gas industry: a retrospective review with implications for future evacuation and preventative strategies",
journal="Journal of travel medicine",
year="2017",
author="Toner, Sharyn and Andrée Wiltens, Derkje H. and Berg, Johannes and Williams, Hector and Klein, Susan and Marshall, Simon and Nerwich, Neil and Copeland, Ryan",
volume="24",
number="3",
pages="e95-e95",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Businesses increasingly conduct operations in remote areas where medical evacuation [Medevac(s)] carries more risk. Royal Dutch Shell developed a remote healthcare strategy whereby enhanced remote healthcare is made available to the patient through use of telemedicine and telemetry. To evaluate that strategy, a review of Medevacs of Shell International employees [i.e. expatriate employees (EEs) and frequent business travellers (FBTs)] was undertaken. <br><br>METHOD: A retrospective review of Medevac data (period 2008-12) that were similar in operational constraints and population profile was conducted. Employee records and Human Resource data were used as a denominator for the population. Analogous Medevac data from specific locations were used to compare patterns of diagnoses. <br><br>RESULTS: A total of 130 Medevacs were conducted during the study period, resulting in a Medevac rate of 4 per 1000 of population with 16 per 1000 for females and 3 per 1000 for males, respectively. The youngest and oldest age-groups required Medevacs in larger proportions. The evacuation rates were highest for countries classified as 'high' or 'extreme risk'. The most frequent diagnostic categories for Medevac were: trauma, digestive, musculoskeletal, cardiac and neurological. In 9% of the total, a strong to moderate link could be made between the pre-existing medical condition and diagnosis leading to Medevac. <br><br>CONCLUSION: This study uniquely provides a benchmark Medevac rate (4 per 1000) for EEs and FBTs and demonstrates that Medevac rates are highest from countries identified as 'high risk'; there is an age and gender bias, and pre-existing medical conditions are of notable relevance. It confirms a change in the trend from injury to illness as a reason for Medevac in the oil and gas industry and demonstrates that diagnoses of a digestive and traumatic nature are the most frequent. A holistic approach to health (as opposed to a predominant focus on fitness to work), more attention to female travellers, and the application of modern technology and communication will reduce the need for Medevacs.<br><br>© International Society of Travel Medicine, 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1195-1982",
doi="10.1093/jtm/taw095",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taw095"
}