Study Finds Air Ambulances Can Save Lives

High-risk patients are more likely to die if transported by a ground ambulance rather than by air. That is the conclusion of a study by the University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England that observed 10,315 cases transported with a potentially life-threatening condition by four ambulance services. The study was to determine whether an increased distance to the hospital was associated with an increased risk of mortality. According to Dr. Neil Thomson, a helicopter emergency medical service doctor with the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance, a higher level of care may be delivered directly to the scene of an accident and patients can be at the hospital in a shorter amount of time if an air ambulance is used. The helicopter is also able to fly directly to a large hospital and avoid secondary delays. For related news