Surviving Passenger In DOA Vehicle Protocol?

[Guest]

Is it a standard protocol throughout NYS that if there is a death in a motor vehicle that the surviving passenger be transported to a level I trauma facility?

[Guest]

According to the NYS DOH protocols, a death within a car is to be considered a significant MOI, and a transport decision should be made accordingly. NYS does not comment on what type of facility you should bring the patient to - that’s your job as a medical professional. I would say that a surviving patient in any fatal car accident should go to the nearest appropriate trauma center. If I were on, say the western side of Putnam County, I would transport the patient by ground to WMC if they were stable, if they were potentially unstable/has a GCS of less than 15/AMS I would transport by ground to St. Francis Hospital (Level 2 Trauma center) and if the patient were in traumatic arrest or had a decreased level of consciousness I would transport to Hudson Valley w/ trauma alert.

Note: St. Francis and Hudson Valley ER are roughly equidistant in transport time from the Western side of Putnam County, that not including Continental Village and the outermost parts of Garrison. So, in this case I would use HVER as the closest facility and St. Francis as the closest facility with a staffed trauma team.

Edited June 25, 2006 by 66Alpha1

[JetPhoto 626]

That being said, Has anyone noticed a dramatic increase in medevac missions in the Hudson Valley?

And are they being utilized to their full potential?

[Guest]

I was under the impression we had to go to WMC unless there was cardiac or resp arrest. Also in a trauma if the patient can get to the trauma hospital quicker by air than ground can get them to a local hospital shouldn't stat flight be called for the trauma hospital?

[amacjr08 0]

Btw WMC and St.francis are 20+ miles from western Putman county. I have transported to both numerus times and no matter what time of day it is a long trip!! From Garison WMC is the closer Trama Center, but from Phillipstown St.Francis is closer!!! And givin the 20+ miles from a decent trama center that is why Medivacs are used in Putnam County!

[Porsha911gt3 8]

That being said, Has anyone noticed a dramatic increase in medevac missions in the Hudson Valley?

And are they being utilized to their full potential?

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Yea East Fishkill hasn't had a significant amount of bad accidents lately so a lot less helicopters have been called

[Guest]

I was under the impression we had to go to WMC unless there was cardiac or resp arrest. Also in a trauma if the patient can get to the trauma hospital quicker by air than ground  can get them to a local hospital shouldn't stat flight be called for the trauma hospital?

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As I said before, NYS does not tell us what hospital we have to go to, just that a death within a car is to be considered a significant MOI and to make a transport decision accordingly. Check over the trauma protocols, it’s all in there. Stat-flight is really only to be used in victims with multi-system traumas, it would be imprudent to transport every trauma victim this way (not to mention it costs about 4 grand just for Stat-flight to lift off). There are a whole series of factors one must consider when making the decision to call in an air asset or transport by ground. Just look at some of the major incidents on the incident alerts, you’ll notice that at times one patient will be air-lifted and another will be transported by ground because one merits a ground transport and the other merits an air transport. Remember people, we don’t have a fleet of helos to server our area, we have a total of 3 (air-1, air-2, and the NYSP helo) choppers serving at least 3 counties.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Death in a MVA of one patient is significant enough mechanism to transport any other patients to a level one or two trauma facility (nation wide level one and two are the same, just that level ones are teaching hospitals).

Every EMT / Paramedic course nationwide teaches this and should be followed as a precaution. DOA in a MV is mechanism and any other surviving patients should be transported to a trauma facility.

[JetPhoto 626]

Stat-flight is really only to be used in victims with multi-system traumas, it would be imprudent to transport every trauma victim this way (not to mention it costs about 4 grand just for Stat-flight to lift off).

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A medical helicopter can be used for certain medical conditions that have to be treated at certain hospitals. This is usually with the approval of local medical control who will suggest the method of transport if the facility is not within a quick transport to a the facility.

Remember people, we don’t have a fleet of helos to server our area, we have a total of 3 (air-1, air-2, and the NYSP helo) choppers serving at least 3 counties.

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Yes it is true that for the lower Hudson Valley we generally have 3 helo's available, but we do have the ability to call (depending where you are) for a chopper who is out of state (if none are avail. and LifeNet determines it's available. This of course would need the careful consideration on if you can make it to a level 2 center before one of those choppers to arrive at your scene.)

Stat Flight Air-1, Air-2, and the NYSP choppers cover Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Sullivan and sometimes Green Counties. But have been called to other areas when nessacery.

There is also the fact that if the State Police Helicopter is used for a technical rescue a 2nd helo. may be needed for transport to the trauma center. (obviously depending where you live.)