The impact of a rotorcraft aeromedical emergency care service on trauma mortality

The mortality of 150 consecutive trauma patients treated at the site of injury and transported to a trauma center by standard land prehospital care services was compared with that of 150 consecutive trauma patients treated at the site of injury and transported to the same trauma center by a rotorcraft aeromedical service staffed by a physician and nurse. A statistical analysis designed to predict mortality based on injury severity revealed that the mortality of the land group was statistically no different from that of a large index trauma patient population treated at a major trauma center. There was a 52% reduction in predicted mortality of the aeromedical group, which was highly significant.