Abstract
ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to analyze data from the Danish helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) database, focusing on patients undergoing a secondary transfer from district general hospitals (DGHs) to university hospitals within 24 hours of the initial emergency call. MethodsThis is a national population-based study analyzing HEMS patients undergoing a secondary transfer between October 1, 2014, and April 30, 2018. ResultsFifty-three (2.9%) of the 1,846 patients initially triaged to a DGH by the HEMS team required a secondary transfer. These 53 patients constituted 0.7% of all 7,133 patients seen by the HEMS teams during the study period. More than 60% of these patients were initially treated for either a cardiovascular or a neurologic emergency. HEMS-escorted patients had a mortality rate at day 30 of 14.3% (95% confidence interval, 4.8-38.0), and the HEMS-assisted group had a mortality rate at day 30 of 3.1% (95% CI, 0.5-20.2). ConclusionPatients initially triaged to a DGH by the HEMS teams seldomly required a secondary transfer, indicating a low degree of prehospital undertriage for direct transfer to a university hospital. Cardiovascular or neurologic emergencies were the major reasons for transportation. Mortality seems comparable with that in the general population of patients treated by the Danish HEMS teams.
Highlights
The Danish helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) was introduced as a nationwide service on October 1, 2014, after a recommendation from the Danish Health Department.[1]
53 (2.9%) of the 1,846 patients initially triaged to a district general hospitals (DGHs) by the HEMS team required a secondary transfer to a university hospital during the first 24 hours after the initial 1-1-2 emergency call
A possible reason for this could be that there is a lack of specific pediatric expertise at DGHs; children suspected of having a severe trauma or a severe medical condition will be almost exclusively triaged to university hospitals
Summary
The Danish helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) was introduced as a nationwide service on October 1, 2014, after a recommendation from the Danish Health Department.[1]. The specialized medical team offers expert critical care on scene and a highly skilled physician-led triage of the patients to either a universit
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