Comparison of out-of-hospital times using helicopters versus ground emergency services for patients with severe trauma, acute coronary syndrome, and strokes

We enrolled patients with severe trauma, acute coronary syndrome or strokes from January 1st to December 31, 2014, with an estimated arrival time at scene of at least 20 minutes. Patients refusing to participate, under 18 years old, under guardianship, or curatorship, were not included. We did not include patients transported by ground services during the days and hours the helicopter could not fly. We examined data from the distress call to SAMU’s “15” hotline, during hospitalization and then up to 28 days. We collected data from the pre-hospital medical files such as demographic characteristics, vital signs, invasive procedures and medication as well as scene of event GPS coordinates, estimated time of arrival at the scene of the event (Appli-SAMU® application, Appligos-Opendev, Strasbourg, France), and the different time periods from the distress call up to the arrival at hospital. We collected data from the hospitalization medical files such as vital signs, surgical procedures, coronarography, invasive procedures, therapeutics, laboratory results, and outcomes up to 28 days. When necessary, patients were contacted by telephone to acknowledge their outcome up to 28 days after.