Selection of helicopter bases and transport modes to minimize pre-hospital times in Iceland.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Models for the optimal location of ambulance bases typically focus on response time, but for some patients (e.g., trauma), the total pre-hospital time may matter more. Iceland's geography and population distribution imply that fixed-wing air ambulances are an important mode for transporting emergency patients to one of the small number of hospitals with capabilities to treat patients with time-sensitive conditions. Helicopter ambulances have the potential to improve service for incidents that occur far from the closest airport.

Methods

We formulate models to find optimal helicopter base locations with a primary objective of maximizing incident coverage and secondary objective of minimizing patient transport costs. Our models consider three transport modes (ground,

SUBMITTER: Nguyen P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12659267 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature