Air Ambulance

[OilDepot]

Hey just wondering if anyone here has ever been part of a fixed wing air-ambulance crew. I am a former airline pilot looking to possibly get into flying for an air ambulance. Obviously I enjoy flying, but also enjoy working in a medical related field.

-Matt

 

[OilDepot]

Anyone here from KC?

 

[Handsome Robb]

To be honest there probably isn't a ton of information on the topic that you're looking for here.

You might try www.flightweb.com I believe they have a section for pilots.

Your best bet is to contact the companies you are interested in directly. Air Methods supplies pilots and mechanics for HEMS service, I can't say for certain but I'm pretty sure they do fixed wing as well. Around my area we have Lifeguard Air Ambulance, Mountain LifeFlight, Sierra LifeFlight and American MedFlight off the top of my head. I know Air Evac Lifeteam has operations in the midwest and south along with Reach Air Ambulance.

Just a couple ideas to get you started.

Side note: I'm sure it goes without saying but as a pilot you have little to no patient care or contact although all our Rotor-wing pilots from my agency's air division are trained to EMT-B or higher so they can help out in a pinch. We don't have a fixed wing program.

 

[OilDepot]

Thanks for your input. I'll check that stuff out. You are absolutely right about patient interaction, as a fixed wing pilot my job is to get the patient and crew from point A to point B. I have no concern for what is going on in the back. The companies I have looked into do not even want the pilot thinking about how to take care of a patient and let the ems crew deal with that. I think in the past at some time when pilots were trained EMT's that they lost focus on their duty as a pilot.

Thanks again for the reply.

Matt

 

[systemet]

Thanks for your input. I'll check that stuff out. You are absolutely right about patient interaction, as a fixed wing pilot my job is to get the patient and crew from point A to point B. I have no concern for what is going on in the back. The companies I have looked into do not even want the pilot thinking about how to take care of a patient and let the ems crew deal with that. I think in the past at some time when pilots were trained EMT's that they lost focus on their duty as a pilot.

Thanks again for the reply.

Matt

I've done a (very small) bit of fixed wing as a medic. I think there's a lot of people on here who have experience on the patient care side, but I don't remember there being any pilots here recently.

Part of the rationale behind not having the air crew involved in patient care is that most systems want the pilots to make safety decisions about whether to fly without being tempted to push borderline conditions because the patient is a critically ill child, versus a more routine interfacility run. This has resulted in bad decisions being made in the past.

 

[OilDepot]

Yes... There are definitely some potential boundary issues especially when dealing with kids. I've heard that some pilots are told not to discuss patient condition so that decisions are not made on that basis. I guess unless the patient is dead, then it doesn't matter anymore.

One pilot told me, why should I risk the lives of 3-6 people for the sake of saving one. That is hard to swallow, but it makes complete sense.

Thanks for your thoughts

 

[systemet]

I've heard that some pilots are told not to discuss patient condition so that decisions are not made on that basis.

I'm pretty sure this is a standard policy for any reputable air medical provider, at least during the initial dispatch phase.

It's kind of hard to keep the pilots from at least getting an idea of how sick the person is you're loading on to the plane at the airfield, and that's not really the intent. It's more that the initial launch / no-launch decision should be as rational and objective as possible.

In-flight there's some situations where it may be necessary to divert to other hospitals, or where the altitude / cabin pressure might be a factor, based on the patients condition.

I don't want to give the impression that the pilots aren't an extremely valued and integral part of the team, because they are, and should be. Nothing happens without them, they have a ton of responsibility, and an extremely challenging job.

 

[OilDepot]

Sure, and just as well I recognize the value of every participant on the flight team. Each role has it's own responsibilities. I am intrigued by the whole operation.