J Korean Med Sci.  2016 Oct;31(10):1656-1661. 10.3346/jkms.2016.31.10.1656.

Reduced Mortality by Physician-Staffed HEMS Dispatch for Adult Blunt Trauma Patients in Korea

• Jung K
• Huh Y
• Lee JC
• Kim Y
• Moon J
• Youn SH
• Kim J
• Kim TY
• Kim J
• Kim H

• KMID: 2468259
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2016.31.10.1656

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of domestic physician-staffed helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) for the transport of patients with severe trauma to a hospital. The study included patients with blunt trauma who were transported to our hospital by physician-staffed HEMS (Group P; n = 100) or nonphysician-staffed HEMS (Group NP; n = 80). Basic patient characteristics, transport time, treatment procedures, and medical treatment outcomes assessed using the Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) were compared between groups. We also assessed patients who were transported to the hospital within 3 h of injury in Groups P (Group P3; n = 50) and NP (Group NP3; n = 74). The severity of injury was higher, transport time was longer, and time from hospital arrival to operation room transfer was shorter for Group P than for Group NP (P < 0.001). Although Group P patients exhibited better medical treatment outcomes compared with Group NP, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.134 vs. 0.730). However, the difference in outcomes was statistically significant between Groups P3 and NP3 (P = 0.035 vs. 0.546). Under the current domestic trauma patient transport system in South Korea, physician-staffed HEMS are expected to increase the survival of patients with severe trauma. In particular, better treatment outcomes are expected if dedicated trauma resuscitation teams actively intervene in the medical treatment process from the transport stage and if patients are transported to a hospital to receive definitive care within 3 hours of injury.

Keyword

Injuries; Emergencies; Aircraft; Resuscitation; Treatment Outcome; Prehospital Emergency Care; Trauma Centers

MeSH Terms

Adult
Air Ambulances
Emergency Medical Dispatch/*methods
Female
Health Personnel
Humans
Injury Severity Score
Male
Middle Aged
Republic of Korea
Survival Analysis
Tertiary Care Centers
Time Factors
Treatment Outcome
Wounds and Injuries/mortality/*pathology