TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1990//
TI  - Outcome, transport times, and costs of patients evacuated by helicopter versus fixed-wing aircraft
JO  - Western journal of medicine
A1  - Thomas, Felicity
A1  - Wisham, J.
A1  - Clemmer, T. P.
A1  - Orme, J. F. Jr
A1  - Larsen, K. G.
SP  - 40
EP  - 43
VL  - 153
IS  - 1
N2  - We determined the differences in transport times and costs for patients transported by fixed-wing aircraft versus helicopter at ranges of 101 to 150 radial miles, where fixed-wing and helicopter in-hospital transports commonly overlap. Statistical analysis failed to show a significant difference between the trauma-care patients transported by helicopter (n = 109) and those transported by fixed-wing (n = 86) for age, injury severity score, hospital length of stay, hospital mortality, or discharge disability score. The times in returning patients to the receiving hospital by helicopter (n = 104) versus fixed-wing (n = 509) did not differ significantly. Helicopter transport costs per mile ($24), however, were 400% higher than those of fixed-wing aircraft with its associated ground ambulance transport costs ($6). Thus, helicopter transport is economically unjustified for interhospital transports exceeding 100 radial miles when an efficient fixed-wing service exists.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0093-0415
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -