title: [Importance of air ambulances for the care of the severely injured].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the late 1960s, helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) were established because of the increasing number of severely injured in road traffic accidents. It was initially thought to bring the doctor to the patient quickly.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Today, the rescue helicopter covers the entire field of emergency medicine. By analyzing the databases of the TraumaRegister DGU® (2005-2011), the importance of the HEMS for the treatment of the severely injured was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that around 30 % of severely injured are allocated to hospitals by HEMS. In addition to regional differences, the level of the hospital also plays a particularly important role. The combination of the transfer by HEMS and treatment in a level I trauma center has a significantly positive effect on the survival rate of the patient, especially in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
authors.affiliation: Notfall und Rettungszentrum, Berufsgenossenschaftliche Unfallklinik Frankfurt am Main, Friedberger Landstraße 430, 60389, Frankfurt, Deutschland, uwe.schweigkofler@bgu-frankfurt.de.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schweigkofler
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reimertz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lefering
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D017732:Air Ambulances / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome