Abstract
Objectives: This study evaluated variation in mortality among interfacility transfers three years before and after discontinuation of a rotor-wing transport service. Methods: A retrospective cohort assessment was conducted among severely injured patients transferred from four rural hospitals to a single tertiary center in regions with continued versus discontinued rotor-wing service. Thirty-day mortality following discharge from the receiving tertiary facility served as the primary outcome measure. Results: Discontinuation of rotor-wing transport decreased interfacility transfers and increased transfer time. Transferred patients were four times more likely to die after (compared with before) rotor-wing service was discontinued (p = 0.05). No difference was noted in the region with continued rotor-wing service [odds ratio (OR) = 0.53, p = 0.47]. Conclusions: Injury mortality increased with loss of air transport for interfacility transfer in a rural area.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 694-698 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Academic Emergency Medicine |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2002 |
Keywords
- Air medical
- Injury
- Mortality
- Patient transfer
- Rural
- Trauma centers
- Trauma systems
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Emergency Medicine