Geriatric air medical transport: a program review
Connie H LeBlanc1, John M Tallon, Stacy Ackroyd-Stolarz
1Deparment of Emergeny Medicine, QEII Health Science Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Air Medical Journal
|August 9, 2002
Summary
Air medical transport for geriatric patients (65+) in Nova Scotia reveals that over a third of adult missions are for elderly individuals, often for nontrauma reasons, with a high mortality rate.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Geriatric Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Geriatric patients represent a significant portion of air medical transport.
- Understanding the characteristics of elderly patient transport is crucial for program planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To descriptively review air medical transport patterns for geriatric patients.
- To analyze the demographics and outcomes of elderly patients transported by air ambulance.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of air ambulance missions.
- Inclusion of patients aged 65 years and older.
- Analysis of both trauma and nontrauma missions over a defined period.
Main Results:
- Geriatric patients constituted 33.7% of all adult air medical transports.
- Nontrauma missions (81.3%) were more common than trauma missions (18.6%) for this age group.
- The overall mortality rate for geriatric patients in this cohort was 32.2%.
Conclusions:
- Air medical transport for geriatric patients is substantial and often involves nontrauma critical illnesses.
- Current air medical transport protocols may need adaptation for the unique needs of the elderly.
- High mortality rates underscore the need for specialized geriatric care strategies in air medical services.
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