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The Critical Care Transport
Specialist
It's a
trend that's hard to ignore. Emergency departments, hospital
critical care units, physicians and nurses are depending on
critical care air transport more every day. In most cases,
those responsible for making the arrangements are burdened
with many other pressing matters. Since there are so many
variables for this type of transportation, the average individual
may not be able to make the best choices because of lack of
information. Who's operating the aircraft? Have the regulatory
requirements been satisfied? Will safety and rapid response
be ensured? Will the service be competitively priced with
other air transport operations? If you're facing these questions,
you should know about LifeFlight®.
LifeFlight® provides expert care for your sick, injured and disabled neonate,
child or adult, throughout South Florida and the Caribbean,
quickly and efficiently, with a highly skilled staff and advanced
equipment in a medically configured helicopter.
Our advanced
transport system is available upon request from any physician,
hospital, nurse or other trained persons responsible for obtaining
critical care transport and who has determined that a patient
can benefit from tertiary care, or who would like consultation
on the advisability of transport.
LifeFlight® can be a vital extension of your medical service capabilities.
Use
of LifeFlight® provides you with the following benefits:
- Reduces liability by decreasing your patient's out-of-hospital
time
- Provides higher levels of critical care en route
- Saves costs over ground transport in many cases
LifeFlight®'s Sikorsky S-76A+ is the most sophisticated air
ambulance available, with an unsurpassed flight stability
and safety record. It offers an optimum combination of speed,
averaging 155 miles per hour of direct line travel and has
a 400-mile operating range. The S-76A+ can comfortably accommodate
two stretcher or isolette patients and a four-member medical
transport team. The medical cabin allows easy installation
and removal of a transport stretcher or isolette so that patients
are not tilted during loading or unloading. Once the patients
are aboard, the medical flight crew can work from swivel seats
with full and unobstructed access to the patients from any
angle, a benefit that is not available from any other aircraft.
LifeFlight®'s cabin size offers a family member the ability
to accompany their loved one to the receiving hospital.
As a mobile critical care unit, the medical configuration
of the aircraft includes built-in oxygen and air, lighting
controls, intravenous fluid holders and flight-team-to-hospital
communications. LifeFlight® carries the most advanced life-support
equipment, compactly arranged to ensure the maximum utilization
of space. This specialized portable equipment includes state-of-the-art
FAA-approved life support systems such as neonatal, pediatric
and adult ventilators, a defibrillator with external pacemaker,
intubation equipment, cardiorespiratory and hemodynamic monitors,
infusion devices, transcutaneous P02 monitors, emergency medications,
transport isolettes and any other equipment necessary for
air management, IV therapy and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
With a lift capacity of 5,400 pounds, the S-76A+ can also
handle bulky, sophisticated medical equipment like an ECMO
unit or balloon pump; an impossible load for any light and
most mid-size helicopters.
LifeFlight® has a dedicated 24-hour-a-day Communications Center
staffed by highly skilled communications specialists. Your
one phone call will coordinate all necessary arrangements.
Your call to 1-888-LIFEFLT is answered promptly, with the
LifeFlight® medical team airborne within minutes of notification
to reach you and your patient. Accurate flight tracking and
up-to-the-minute weather bulletins are obtained through constant
weather briefings, flight service and weather mapping equipment.
When arranging for a patient's transport,
our communications specialist will ask you for the following
information:
- Patient name
- Age
- Sex
- Weight
- Type and extent of illness or injury
- Vital signs
- Treatment received
- Ground contact phone number
LifeFlight® is very cost-competitive.
Although air travel is more expensive than ground transportation,
the difference is offset by the reduction in the transport
time. Cost varies depending on the distance traveled; however,
LifeFlight®'s state-of-the-art Sikorsky helicopter delivers
a low operating cost per mile. Costs include a base lift-off
fee and fee for each patient-loaded mile.
As the referring hospital, you are not responsible for payment
of fees. LifeFlight® accepts all responsibility for collecting
fees for patients transported. Transport charges are billed
to the patient or insurance provider by LifeFlight®. Most insurance
companies now recognize air transport as a legitimate cost
of patient care.
When every second counts
and a patient must be transferred to receive immediate care, LifeFlight® responds with fast, safe and cost-effective air
transportation using the latest in state-of-the-art technology.
We're available 24 hours a day to serve patients requiring
medical services that aren't available in their hospital or
community.
When you need the highest level of critical care in the air, LifeFlight®
is there. Just call 1-888-LIFE-FLT toll-free.
As a free service of LifeFlight®, we will assist you in establishing
an approved landing zone so that you will be able to utilize
LifeFlight®'s aeromedical services for your patients. Please
contact the Program to arrange for a helicopter safety orientation.
LifeFlight®
is the registered trademark of Hermann Hospital
Foundation, Houston, Texas.
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