Use of medical helicopters questioned

A new survey seems to indicate that transferring some patients from one hospital to another by helicopter is expensive and may not get patients the care they need any quicker than a ground ambulance.

Harvard researchers analyzed the transfer times of neuro-surgical patients to a trauma centre for a year.

They found more than half of the patients sent by chopper didn’t need immediate surgery, and could have been stabilized before being sent to the trauma specialists in an ambulance.

Transporting patients by helicopter can cost as much as $25,000.

An ambulance ride costs about $1,000.