ER By Air
Enhanced State of the Art In Flight Care With MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital’s New Emergency Helicopter Transport
STORY, PHOTOS AND VIDEO BY ALLANA HAYNES
MedSTAR Transport unveiled its new Airbus H145 D3 helicopter to staff at the Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital Center in Clinton, Oct. 7.
Staff captured every moment on their phones as the distinctive blue and yellow aircraft glided across the clear autumn sky and descended onto the Emergency Department helipad.
After touching down, pilots met with staff to discuss how the state-of-the-art aircraft will improve patient care across the region.
Dr. Chiledum Ahaghotu, vice president Medical Affairs & Chief Medical Officer of MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center; Krista Wall, vice president and program director, MedSTAR Transport; and Dr. Stephen T. Michaels, FACHE, president of MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center and senior vice president, MedStar Health. PHOTO COURTESY MEDSTAR SOUTHERN MARYLAND HOSPITAL CENTER
The new aircraft is one of only a few operating in the air medical industry nationwide, according to MedStar Health. It introduces significant new capabilities to the region, including increased access to care for bariatric, ECMO (temporary heart-lung support system) and NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) patients.
Stephen Michaels, President of MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center said the new aircraft will enhance care for critically ill and injured patients across the area.
“Our response times to people who have heart attacks and people who have strokes is going to go way up and their ability to get advanced care is really going to improve,” Michaels said. “This capability in this area is going to really improve care for patients across the region.”
The aircraft features larger cabin space for patients, clinicians and equipment, including room for two stretchers, 1,000 pounds of additional payload capacity and increased fuel capacity for longer missions. It also includes a five-blade rotor system to provide greater lift and a smoother ride for patients and crews as well as more powerful engines that support higher weight capacities and improve performance in demanding weather conditions.
MedSTAR Transport was the first hospital-based air medical service in the area and has grown into a regional transport system with air ambulances, ground ambulances, a dedicated communications center and highly trained medical and support personnel, according to MedStar Health. The program moves approximately 5,000 patients each year and specializes in interfacility care transport as well as selected scene response operations, including transport to Level I trauma centers.
PHOTOS BY ALLANA HAYNES AND COURTESY OF MEDSTAR SOUTHERN MARYLAND HOSPITAL CENTER
Andrew Glory, Aviation Site Manager at MedSTAR Transport said the aircraft’s advanced features will allow pilots to do their jobs more efficiently.
“[The helicopter’s] got five blades and its tail [allows it] to significantly carry more weight so we’re able to carry heavier patients,” he said. “Also, we can fly further for longer and the autopilot will significantly reduce pilot workload, especially on a low weather day.”
Ron Armontraut, Operations Manager at MedSTAR Transport believes the new aircraft will save lives.
“There are some complex patients that we’re unable to fly right now, so we’re taking them by ground, which is a longer out of hospital time,” he said. “Now being able to put them into this helicopter is going to get them to the care that they need quicker.”
