Geriatric air medical transport: a program review.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study is to descriptively review the air medical transport of geriatric patients within the provincial air medical program of Nova Scotia.


METHODS
This study was based on a retrospective review of charts from March 14, 1996, to February 24, 1998, and included patients 65 years or older transported by air ambulance. All trauma and nontrauma missions were included in the program's adult services component (more than 15 years old). The total population served is approximately 1 million.


RESULTS
Fifty-nine geriatric patients were transported from a total of 175 adult missions during the study period, representing 33.7% of the adult services total. Nontrauma missions numbered 48 (81.3%), with the remainder (11, 18.6%) being trauma. Overall mortality in our study cohort was 32.2%.


CONCLUSIONS
Air medical transport usually is associated with trauma transport of the younger patient. This program review demonstrates that one-third of adult air medical transports in this province are for patients older than 65 who are critically ill, though often with nontrauma conditions, and are associated with a high mortality rate. Air medical transport programs should have strategies, education, and protocols that reflect the unique pathophysiology of the elderly.
LeBlanc
Connie H
CH
Deparment of Emergeny Medicine, QEII Health Science Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Tallon
John M
JM
Ackroyd-Stolarz
Stacy
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017732:Air Ambulances / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002170:Canada; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009026:Mortality; D009674:Nova Scotia; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014187:Transportation of Patients; D014600:Utilization Review