Commitment to safety and outstanding patient care.
Always ready to respond when it matters most.
Our patient advocates are standing by.
Our podcast, AMPED (Air Methods Prehospital Education) is back this week with a new installment. The podcast, which launched in early 2021, is designed for prehospital and in-hospital care providers and sheds light on the unique and challenging clinical scenarios faced by our emergency medical crews. It is a first-of-its-kind platform in which air medical and in-hospital clinicians can share their stories from the frontlines and learn from one-another’s unique experiences in providing lifesaving care.
In our previous episode, flight nurse Christopher Becker recounted his transport of a sick patient in shock. The AMPED Podcast crew, with the help of ICU docs Dr. Brian Fuller and Dr. Amjad Musleh, discussed the different types of shock and diagnosing its states.
In this week’s episode, airing Wednesday, we address treatment options for this patient. The AMPED team with Dr. Fuller, Dr. Musleh, and our new guest, Dr. Eliza Dunn, discuss which vasopressors, inotropes, or inodilators would be most helpful when treating this patient.
The podcast is hosted by Joe Hill; Hawnwan “Phil” Moy, MD, Medical Director for ARCH, Air Methods Illinois and Missouri; and John Wilmas, MD, Medical Director for ARCH, Air Methods Illinois and Missouri. Collectively, the three hosts bring decades of experience in emergency medical services and an array of diverse perspectives to the table.
AMPED is available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and more. To listen to the podcast and to see available streaming options, visit airmethods.com/newsroom/. To join the conversation, use the hashtag #AMPEDpod on social media.
At Air Methods, we emphasize the importance of taking care of our clinicians who selflessly care for their patients day in and day out. We know what they do isn’t normal. They are constantly exposed to human pain, suffering, and death, which exacts a severe toll over time even as they are conditioned to greet grief with a stoic calm.
In her recent article published in Health News Digest titled, “You’re Not Alone,” Air Methods Chief Nursing Officer and SVP of Clinical Services Stephanie Queen speaks up about the crushing weight of grief and its relentless presence in the lives of critical care workers.
Healthcare workers pride themselves on their ability to be empathetic but professional. Many of them calmly deliver news of adverse outcomes and prognoses to patients and family members every day, then go home to a family or personal life and try to compartmentalize thoughts of their patients’ diseases, injuries, or deaths.
This grief can manifest itself in many ways, including anxiety, fatigue, restlessness, irritability, lack of focus, denial, shock, anger, depression, loss of appetite, nightmares, anhedonia, and substance abuse. And that’s only a partial list.
To ease the burden of grief, Queen offers some proactive steps clinicians can take through self-care:
Read the full article in Health News Digest here.
Our new podcast, AMPED (Air Methods Prehospital Education), is back this week with a new installment. The podcast, which was launched last month, is designed for prehospital and in-hospital care providers and sheds light on the unique and challenging clinical scenarios faced by our emergency medical crews. It is a first-of-its-kind platform in which air medical and in-hospital clinicians can share their stories from the frontlines and learn from each other’s unique experiences in providing lifesaving care.
In this week’s episode, airing today, Joe, Phil, and John are joined by critical care physicians Brian Fuller MD MSCI FCCM and Amjad Musleh MD to discuss a case study involving the complicated “mix shock” state their patient is dying from, and the treatments they chose to provide.
Critical questions around the cause of the patient’s shock and why it might be fatal arise when typical solutions for shock aren’t working and the patient is dying. Listen in as they tackle preparing a systematic approach based on a fundamental understanding of the types of shock, figuring out the cause of shock, and choosing the right treatment.
In the first episode, the hosts interviewed a flight nurse about a case in which a patient was thrown from a motorcycle at 105 mph and needed emergency transport. The nurse recounts the unique details of the case and his medical decision-making process that ensured the patient received the highest quality care while in transport to the hospital.
Last week, we announced the launch of our Air Methods Prehospital Education (“AMPED”) podcast, which is designed for prehospital and in-hospital care providers and sheds light on the unique and challenging clinical scenarios faced by our emergency medical crews.
“Medicine is an ongoing educational and evolutionary process,” said Joe Hill, RN, clinical director for Air Methods and co-creator of AMPED. “AMPED serves as a first-of-its-kind platform in which air medical and in-hospital clinicians can share their stories from the frontlines and learn from each other’s unique experiences in providing lifesaving care.”
Air Methods’ crews encounter extraordinary obstacles on a daily basis that require significant expertise and the ability to handle highly stressful situations. They often serve as the lifeline for patients in rural areas without access to critical or emergent care. By providing a lens into the air medical profession, AMPED aims to foster greater understanding and respect among healthcare providers of all specialties.
The podcast is hosted by Joe Hill; Hawnwan “Phil” Moy, MD, Medical Director for Arch, Air Methods Illinois and Missouri; and John Wilmas, MD, Medical Director for Arch, Air Methods Illinois and Missouri. Collectively, the three hosts bring decades of experience in emergency medical services and an array of diverse perspectives to the table.
In the first episode, the hosts interview a flight nurse about a case in which a patient was catapulted from a motorcycle at 105 mph and needed emergency transport. The nurse recounts the unique details of the case and his medical decision-making process to ensure this patient received the highest quality care while in transport to the hospital.
AMPED is available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and more. To listen to the podcast and to see available streaming options, visit airmethods.com/newsroom/. The second episode is slated for release in March 2021. To join the conversation, use the hashtag #AMPEDpod on social media.
Our CEO, JaeLynn Williams, opened up about her advocacy for saving lives and her ambitious goal for Air Methods to be 100% in-network with health insurance companies on this week’s episode of the HIT Like a Girl Podcast.Williams spoke with hosts Joy Rios and Robin Roberts about the unconventional path that led her to where she is today, her belief that patients shouldn’t have to worry about the cost of an emergency airlift, and integrating patient data from emergency flights to allow for more connectivity across the care continuum.The mission of the HIT Like a Girl podcast is to amplify women who are making major contributions to healthcare, technology, or the intersection of health IT.Here are a few highlights from the interview:“If I had a magic wand tomorrow and I could make people (insurance companies) come to the table and negotiate, that would be tremendous. I think the second thing would be automation. So, working on things like bringing NLP to coding and connectivity and really augmenting artificial intelligence and deep data analytics. The air medical industry could really benefit from that and I believe it is a critical component of healthcare.”“In the EMS world we use a pretty standard EHR system, but I think a challenge that exists, or the opportunity that exists, is that they’re not really fully integrated or fully interface with the hospital system EHRs. Bringing those two universes together and having that be a seamless interface and potentially even a bi-directional interface as appropriate would help facilitate some of what I see as opportunity to measure outcomes better and leakage better.”Additionally, Jaelynn offered advice to women in the industry: “Care about what you are doing professionally, look for areas to improve and don’t self-select away from opportunities because you don’t feel ‘fit’ for them.”Check out the full episode here.
By Paul M. Ross, Jr., Regional Account Executive, Air Methods/ARCH Air Medical Service
Air Methods is preparing for a potential spike in the Midwest, especially after the Labor Day holiday, but we also want to make sure people realize they should go to the ER if they are experiencing other life-threatening conditions.
Imagine a family member experiencing a heart attack at home with no medical attention. It’s a terrifying thought, but it is happening with alarming regularity all over the country. Air Methods and ARCH Air Medical Service want to remind the community about the importance of seeking necessary care at their local ER during this pandemic.
With bases serving Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, and Arkansas, Air Methods and ARCH Air Medical Service have seen far fewer patients these past few months as well. Industrywide, air ambulance transports are down about 40 percent. The decline in ER visits has been steeper in urban COVID-19 hotspots, but also holds across rural America, which is home to about 46 million people (more than 15 percent of the U.S. population). Those who live in these areas are more likely to die from heart disease, unintentional injuries, and stroke than people in more urban areas. That means that if a rural resident is experiencing a health emergency and delays an ER visit, they are further away from the care they will eventually require.
During the continued fight ahead, it is important that people understand they cannot succumb to fears about COVID-19 that lead to other life-threatening consequences. Hospitals, air medical services, ground EMS, clinicians, and other healthcare personnel have learned a great deal since the virus entered our lives, and there is truly no safer time to visit the local ER.
Within the air medical industry, for instance, flight and base crews are fully equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks, gloves, and protective suits. They follow strict procedures to prevent contamination, including disinfecting aircraft and equipment between uses. This preparedness mirrors that of the emergency departments to which patients are transported.
ARCH Air Medical is working with partners to maintain the supply chain of medical equipment to our bases in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, and Arkansas ensuring our air medical team has access to additional supply chains for PPE. As our partners see their patient load increase, we are working with them to assist with surge capacity and are identifying resources by collaborating with local EMS and fire departments.
The safety of our patients and our crews is our top priority and we are committed to continuing to provide the best air medical care and access for communities across the Midwest who rely on us. We urge everyone in these communities to seek the care they require from emergency medical personnel as soon as there is a need. Emergency services are safe and available for everyone who requires them.
The entire Air Methods family is thrilled to congratulate Aidan O’Connor, Jr. as a 2020 EMS Advocate of the Year by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT). The award recognizes three EMS professionals whose volunteer efforts advance EMS through educating and engaging elected government leaders, EMS and healthcare communities, and the public.
“I am incredibly honored by this recognition,” O’Connor said. “I wholeheartedly believe in the EMS system and the positive impact it has for our patients and communities. EMS is an essential part of emergency services and healthcare systems and I will continue to advocate for our colleagues, patients, and profession.”
NAEMT is the largest professional association for EMS practitioners in the United States and focuses on advancing prehospital emergency care across the country. Each year, they award three individuals a prestigious Advocacy Award based on the following criteria:
O’Connor has served as an NAEMT Advocacy Coordinator, attended EMS on the Hill Day several times, as well as advocacy events in his state. He actively communicates with his network of EMS professionals through social media to build support for EMS legislation in New York. He has spoken at state and national EMS conferences on the “ABCs of Change: Advocacy Before Complaining,” which gives advice on turning problems into solutions by way of advocacy.
O’Connor believes so deeply in the importance of advocacy that he ran for public office. He served three years as the minority leader of the Greene County Legislature in Durham, New York. During his time in office, he served on the county Health Services, Resources, and Economic Development committees. While in the legislature, he advocated for more funding for EMS and taught his colleagues hands-only CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). He also secured funds to place 27 public access defibrillators strategically throughout the county.
This year, O’Connor was nominated by his peers and was selected by the NAEMT Board of Directors as an award recipient. Air Methods is incredibly proud to have a dedicated team member like Aidan who is committed to making progress in the EMS community.
New York currently does not allow air ambulances to carry and transfuse its own blood products. Recently, several medical directors from our LifeNet bases wrote an op-ed calling for the state legislature to change this law.
We write as the medical directors of LifeNet of New York to bring attention to a key medical issue for emergency patients in New York, impacting patients for decades without being corrected. Our service provides emergency critical care to patients across the state at a moment’s notice, an ICU-level care for the most critically ill and injured patients who require transport to tertiary or quaternary care facilities to treat their illness or injury. LifeNet of New York has been on the front lines of the COVID-19 health crisis, including transporting critical patients on ventilators from an overwhelmed facility in Queens to hospitals in upstate New York and out-of-state, an endeavor documented in multiple news reports.
While we are proud of the medical care provided by LifeNet of New York, we are writing today to ask the New York State Legislature to authorize our service to carry and transfuse our own blood products to our patients that need these therapies. Air Methods treats patients in 48 states across the U.S., and New York is currently the only state where regulations do not allow our clinical team to monitor, store, and transfuse blood products. We must be able to use every health resource we have to treat our patients, but the state of New York has tied one hand behind our back.
When we are dispatched to transport a patient who requires a blood transfusion, LifeNet of New York’s nurses and paramedics cannot deliver that care. Instead, we must rely on the sending facility to have enough blood to transfuse the patient before transport, which is not often the case in the small rural hospitals to which we respond. Our service already has a national contract in place with the American Red Cross to carry two units of universal packed red blood cells on every helicopter and where available, plasma as well. This is more than some small rural hospitals in New York have in reserves at any given time, yet we are prohibited from using these resources in New York.
Moreover, when we transport trauma patients from the scene of injury, we do not have our own blood and plasma to transfuse to these patients as they are bleeding to death. The only medical treatment that the state of New York will currently allow our flight nurses and paramedics to keep readily available to patients in hemorrhagic shock is salt water, either normal saline or lactated Ringers. These fluids are no substitute for blood products because they do not stop bleeding or carry oxygen. Instead, these fluids dilute the bloodstream, worsening patient outcomes.
There is a tangible human cost to the outdated statutes in New York. Our flight nurses and paramedics chose their profession because they want to save lives, not watch patients bleed to death receiving salt water instead of blood products because their hands are tied by outdated state regulations. Across our state borders, LifeNet of New York’s sister air medical programs are able to store and provide blood products as a readily available resource. We at LifeNet of New York ask that our state government gives New Yorkers the same chance for survival that New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Connecticut authorize for their residents.
We would like to thank Senator Metzger for her leadership on this critical health issue for patients in New York, by sponsoring S. 8346. We ask the New York State Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo to support this common sense issue now and update the outdated state statutes that unnecessarily put New Yorkers at a disadvantage.
###
Dr. David FE Stuhlmiller, MD FACEP FAEMS CMTEPhysician Advisor and Medical DirectorLifeNet of New York(973) 879-9053*protected email*
Dr. Stephen Hassett MD FACEPAssociate Professor Emergency MedicineAlbany Medical CenterPhysician Medical DirectorLifeNet of New York*protected email*
Dr. Beth Linkenheil, DO FACEPChief of Emergency MedicineDirector of Emergency Medical ServicesGuthrie Health SystemPhysician Medical DirectorLifeNet of New York*protected email*
Dr. Luke Duncan, MDAssociate Professor of Emergency MedicineAssociate Professor of Surgical Critical CareAlbany Medical CenterPhysician Medical DirectorLifeNet of New York*protected email*
Dr. Maja Lundborg-Gray, MD, FAAEM, FACEPPhysician Medical DirectorLifeNet of New YorkFort Drum, Potsdam, Seneca Falls, Watertown bases
by Dave Olvera
The facilitation of advanced airway management in the prehospital setting is a critical technique for patient care. Historically, the modalities and techniques have changed in prehospital transport. Included in these updates is the advancement of intubation devices and enhanced cognitive offload tools.
Earlier this week, I wrote an article for AirMed & Rescue that discusses those updates and examines the importance of prehospital care. It includes information about preparation; intubation locations; the rapid sequence intubation (RSI) checklist; and implementing a quality dashboard or metric to evaluate internal airway management.
The goal of ongoing research and investigation highlights the importance of improving first-pass success rates through basic instruction. Included in these instructional practices should be knowledge of diverse intubation devices along with appropriate use of checklist utilization. These practices will improve first-pass success. To further determine needs and successes, individual programs can be combined into the larger GAMUT to compare and contrast data. Simplistic in form yet powerful in output, successful first-pass intubation practices save lives.
Read the entire article here.
David Olvera is a nationally registered paramedic, Certified Flight Paramedic, and Certified Medical Transport Executive, serving as Director of Clinical Research and Department Chair for the research committee for Air Methods. He serves on the International Board of Flight and Critical Care Paramedics as well as the MedEvac Foundation International. He is the Vice-President of Research at FlightBridgeED, a Veteran Combat Medic in the U.S. Army, and has published multiple abstracts and papers related to pre-hospital airway management, resuscitation, and advancing air medical transport research.