Rapid ground transport of trauma patients: a moderate distance from trauma center improves survival

Our data demonstrate that scene-to-ED time is paramount, and rapid ground transport should be used in blunt trauma patients when the scene is up to a moderate ground distance away from the trauma center and there would be a moderate-to-prolonged HEMS response time. In both analyses, hemodynamically unstable trauma patients had lower rates of mortality following ground transport. We recognize that there may be a subset of patients at these distances who could benefit from HEMS response, particularly if the flight crew can offer more advanced and specialized techniques; however, every effort should be made to minimize the scene-to-ED time, and HEMS response, scene, and transport time must be considered. This study only analyzed the patients within a moderate distance of the trauma center and at longer distances or in different environments; HEMS transport may indeed minimize the scene to ED time.