Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Healthcare Management
• Medical Logistics

Context:

• The activation of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) requires standardized protocols for efficient deployment.
• SAMU 14 sought to optimize its HEMS activation process.

Purpose:

• To develop a consensus-based tool to assist in the activation of HEMS for SAMU 14.
• To rationalize HEMS activation through a multidisciplinary approach.

Summary:

• A multidisciplinary working group, following guidelines of good professional practice and using simple consensus, developed a HEMS activation tool for SAMU 14.
• The tool comprises maps, a protocol, and a written activation procedure, created through subgroup meetings and reviewed by a working and independent reading group.
• This initiative represents the first such work within SAMU 14, establishing a standardized HEMS activation process.

Impact:

• The developed tool rationalizes HEMS activation for SAMU 14.
• The simple and transposable consensus methodology can be applied to other emergency centers and multidisciplinary protocols.
• This work establishes a precedent for developing standardized operational tools in emergency medical services.