Assessing Lift-Off Times for a Hospital-Based Helicopter Transport Program

Hospital-based helicopter transport programs must define and track their own lift-off times (LOTs). The goal of this quality improvement study was to evaluate LOTs, identify factors influencing LOTs, and implement changes to improve LOTs without compromising safety.

A retrospective evaluation of 248 flights during 2016 was completed using recorded times from our dispatch center. Actual LOTs were compared with policy LOT goals. Tasks for flight departure were identified, timed, and sorted into those that should not be pressured and those amenable to process change.

Five tasks were identified as being amenable to process change. The average LOT for scene calls was 10.56 minutes (range, 1-22 minutes) and met our 10-minute policy goal 59% of the time. The average LOT for interfacility flights was 13.2 minutes (range, 4-76 minutes) and met the policy goal of 15 minutes 76.5% of the time.

We identified tasks amenable to safe process change to decrease LOTs. The data supported LOT policy change to a single LOT goal of 13 minutes for all flights. This change represents an acceptable goal for all LOTs without compromising safety to our patients and teams.