What Is an Air Ambulance?
An air ambulance is a helicopter, airplane, or aircraft that transports critically ill or injured patients to a medical emergency site. Air medical transport plays an irreplaceable role in emergency medical services. It includes a rotor wing or helicopter or fixed wing, or airplane. In cases where ground medical transportation or ambulance becomes ineffective, an air ambulance will be used. In addition to patients, medical professionals, and medical equipment will also be transported to the emergency site with the help of an air ambulance.
What Is the Importance of Air Ambulance in Emergency Medicine?
Ground medical transportation as a conventional ambulance may not be effective in all critical or emergency conditions. When the patient needs to be shifted immediately to an emergency department or provided with immediate medical assistance, there may need to be more than ground medical transportation as it takes more time. Since time is a crucial factor in deciding the future condition of a critically ill or injured patient, gradual improvements were made to providing swift care and treatment. Air transportation serves this purpose. In addition, air ambulances are installed with the necessary devices and equipment to provide treatment and care to the patient while shifting to the emergency site.
Why Is an Air Ambulance Costly?
The speed with which the air ambulance shifts a patient is very high compared to ground transportation, making immediate treatment and care swiftly accessible. Air medical transport, especially airplanes, offers quick service. The time by which a patient gets transported through a ground ambulance get affected by the traffic, road condition, and accessibility of the roads. Even though the above factors favor opting for an air ambulance, the cost of access to medical air transport is exceptionally high. The aircraft, whether fixed wing or rotor wing, costs more than the road transport ambulance. It requires strict maintenance and demands an increased maintenance cost. In addition, the aircraft staff, traveling distance, and the type of aircraft also add to the high price.
What Are the Advantages of Air Ambulance?
The following are the advantages of air ambulance:
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Air ambulances have high speed.
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Air ambulance enables rapid transportation of patients to the emergency site.
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It is suitable for long-distance shifting of patients.
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A specialized medical team accompanies the patient while transporting.
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Accommodates equipment and devices that provide treatment and care to the patient.
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Air ambulance has an inbuilt navigation system for guiding and navigating to the exact destination site.
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It offers less out-of-hospital time for transportation.
What Are the Disadvantages of an Air Ambulance?
The following are the disadvantages of air ambulance which makes it challenging for patients to opt for them:
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The exceptionally high cost of air ambulance makes it hard for the patients to choose, even if it provides swift service.
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Medical air transport facility depends on weather condition, and extreme weather makes them inaccessible or unsafe.
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Since the engines can only produce a distinct amount of power, the weight should also be considered and calculated. If the weight of the aircraft is more, it can lead to danger or disaster.
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The safety factor of the air ambulance is also questionable, as reports show that medical air transport accidents lead to fatal injuries.
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A landing strip or helipad requirement may be hard to achieve in many cases.
What Are the Features of an Air Ambulance?
An air ambulance contains standard equipment that provides immediate care to critical patients. The following are some examples of the contents of an air ambulance:
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Ventilators: Air ambulance contains mechanical ventilators that assist the patient in breathing. Mechanical ventilators are also called breathing machines. It helps the movement of air in and out of the lungs. Respiratory failure can be threatening to a patient and puts them in critical medical condition. Mechanical ventilators in air ambulances help the patient get assistance in breathing in such critical situations.
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ECG (Electrocardiogram) Machine: An electrocardiogram or ECG machine will be installed in an air ambulance. It is a diagnostic tool that can assess the rhythm or the functionality of the heart. It helps rule out if the patient has developed a heart attack.
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CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) Equipment: CPR equipment contains adult-exhaled air resuscitation masks, child-exhaled air resuscitation masks, information labels, and disposable gloves. When a critical patient’s breathing or heart stops, CPR should be done as an emergency procedure. In the case of a cardiac arrest, the patient’s heart stops beating, and it stops pumping the required amount of blood to other parts of the body. This can lead to death within minutes. CPR helps provide rhythmic chest compression in the same way the heart functions.
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Monitoring System: The monitoring system installed in the air ambulance monitors the results and functioning of the equipment or devices attached to the patient's body. This helps the medical professional in the air ambulance continuously observe and assess the patient's condition.
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Stretchers: The patient gets lifted and transferred in a horizontal and convenient posture with the help of a stretcher.
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Medication: The air ambulance will be stocked with emergency drugs to treat the patients based on their medical condition.
The air ambulance contains the following staff:
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Pilot: Pilots will be multiple, usually two, in number. They will be trained to operate aircraft used for medical transportation and emergency rescue purposes.
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Nurse or Paramedic: The nurse or a paramedical professional will be a trained professional who can operate the medical equipment or devices and have knowledge about the medications and medical conditions.
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Physician: The air ambulance crew contains a doctor trained to treat a patient non-surgically. Such a doctor is called a physician.
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Respiratory Therapist: Respiratory therapists are trained to provide advanced airway management.
Conclusion
An air ambulance is a type of medical transportation using aircraft, helicopter or airplane. Time plays a crucial role in an emergency medical department. The patient can be transported effectively in the least time to the emergency site with the help of an air ambulance. But the safety factors, cost, and accessibility make it hard for the patients to opt for the same.
