Medical helicopter service has been lifesaver for years

     When a small plane went down in a farmer's field in the Metro East last week, an ARCH helicopter with a full medical crew was dispatched to the scene.

     In medical emergencies, where minutes can literally mean the difference between life and death, helicopter transport becomes a lifesaver.

     Dr. Chris Cruz, medical director of emergency services at Anderson Hospital in Maryville, said that ARCH Air Medical Services, In. is an integral part of the hospital's emergency medical services system.

     ARCH stands for Area Rescue Consortium of Hospitals.

     "It's not the type of service a private individual can call. At Anderson, we use them about 15 to 24 times a month. They send out a sick baby, or we send a lot of our cardiac patients for catheterization, since we don't have 'cath' here. Pediatric trauma patients are sent out to pediatric trauma hospitals," Cruz said.

     "We always have to keep track and review that, and make sure it's used appropriately. It's not cheap, but if used appropriately, most insurance carriers cover that flight," he said.

     Cruz, who is also one of the medical directors for ARCH in the state of Illinois, said the service, once a joint endeavor of three  large St. Louis hospitals, is now privately owned. That change has allowed the emergency medical helicopter transport service to expand.

     ARCH helicopters are used to transfer critical care patients like high-risk obstetrics, pediatrics, or patients requiring specialized care not available at local hospitals.

     Medical personnel on the helicopters do more than just transport patients, Cruz said.

     "We have a transport team, and we provide a specialist that can go on a mission. They provide primary care on the scene, like the air crash out from Parks Airport," Cruz said. "Local EMS, state police, IDOT crews and others go to a scene, and they call for our assistance. We can provide primary care immediately, and then transport patients to a hospital."

     "The paramedics and nurses on board have to have at least five years experience in critical car, emergency rooms and ICU, plus they ;have to be certified for Basic Trauma Life Support, Advance Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support," he said.

     "Plus nurses require critical care as provided by the state. So the staff are highly trained in advanced techniques, airway stabilization. They have extensive skills, to start treatment on the way to a hospital. That's what it's for now; instead of just delivering a patient to the hospital, we can start care on the way."

     Cruz said in the past, ARCH helicopters were known for only transporting patients to St. Louis hospitals. Now, as the company expands, it has overlapping circles where bases all over the state can send air transport form closest to a patient, and get them to the best hospital for their needs.

    "Now we have bases in Springfield, Peoria, Champaign. So it's becoming a big force for the state of Illinois. It's taking up the slack from when IDOT pulled out of the helicopter service. They're working with hospitals in the state of Illinois to develop transport teams, and specialized teams like neo-natal teams. Effingham was just approved, and we have bases in Litchfield and Sparta, Cape Girardeau, downtown, and at Spirit of St. Louis Airport.

     They draw a ring of about 100 miles, and we try to draw that overlap, so that if one area's helicopter is down we can cover that area." he said.

     Cruz said transporting a patient from Anderson Hospital in Maryville to a St. Louis area hospital makes a big difference in how quickly those patients can get necessary life-saving car.

     "If we went by land to S. Mary's hospital in Clayton for instance, by land it would take about 30 minutes, and that's with non-traffic time," Cruz said. "Going by air, it's eight minutes.

     "With cardiac patients or critical care, there's no drop in the level of care, plus the time between physicians is only eight minutes versus 35 by land. And anything can happen by land, like a car accident, a traffic jam, that can delay transit, and they're left with on board resources," Cruz said.

     Cruz said ARCH works in cooperation with all area emergency responders to coordinate the best care for patients.

     "We want immediate evaluation by local EMS or police, and then they contact us here, and request air medical transport. Patients always need immediate stabilization, so ARCH can transport to any hospital for immediate stabilization before going on to level on hospital," he said.

    With the trained medical personnel on the helicopter, patients and even small hospitals receive better services, Cruz said.

     "Early morning traffic can be a hindrance to care, and this helps us facilitate around that. Or if they're very sick, or need a lot of resources, lots of nurses, doctors, that hospital has to do without. With our highly trained staff, they may not have to send those personnel, " he said.

     ARCH is always looking for ways to increase medical services in the region.

     "We have a fairly sophisticated communication systems, a system that works quite well, and all of our hospitals are trained when to use them, how to use them. ARCH personnel will go to a new (hospital) system, and work with them to develop a safe landing zone. We'll allow nurses and doctors a safe ride-along to see what's done," Cruz said.

     Cruz said ARCH medical transportation is safe and quick, and patients should not have any fear of flying associated with their care.

     "We're fortunate to have not had any accidents in the history of service, and they're very proud of that fact," he said. "I think air medical is general is very safe.

     "What they do with ARCH is the pilot can, like in any industry, the pilot is the captain of the ship, and has to make the weather decision, if they have a safe window for transport, " he said. "The best person to make that judgment is the pilot."

© Collinsville Herald Journal 2003