Cross-sectional investigation of HEMS activities in Europe: a feasibility study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To gather information on helicopter emergency medical services (HEMSs) activities across Europe.

Methods

Cross-sectional data-collection on daily (15 November 2013) activities of a sample of European HEMSs. A web-based questionnaire with both open and closed questions was used, developed by experts of the European Prehospital Research Alliance (EUPHOREA).

Results

We invited 143 bases from 11 countries; 85 (60%) reported base characteristics only and 73 (51%) sample-day data too. The variety of base characteristics was enormous; that is, the target population ranged from 94.000 to 4.500.000. Of 158 requested primary missions, 62 (0.82 per base) resulted in landing. Cardiac aetiology (36%) and trauma (36%) prevailed, mostly of life-threatening severity (43%,

SUBMITTER: Di Bartolomeo S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4265707 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature