emergency medical retrieval services for transfer of the critically ill

see also:

• Australian health care providers
• critical care (intensive care medicine)
• transfer of the critically ill adult patient
• disaster medicine

• Adult Retrieval Victoria (ARV) and listing of ICU bed availability ph: 1300 36 86 61 (24hrs)
• Victorian Trauma Advice & Referral Line ph: 1800 70 00 01
• Victorian Paediatric Transfer Service (PETS) ph: ph: 1300 137 650
• Perinatal Emergency Referral Service (PERS) ph: 1300 137 650
• Victoria Neonatal Emergency Transfer Service (NETS) ph: 1300 13 76 50
• NPT HATS (ph: 1300 628 728 or 1300 00 HATS) may transport the following without a medical escort (2013 guidelines):
  • haemodynamically stable adults:
    • Patients requiring active respiratory / cardiac monitoring, or treatment by a critical care nurse
    • Mechanical ventilation (Dr. escort is required from sending hospital)
    • Intravenous infusion of any drug (over and above GTN and Heparin)
    • tracheostomy, intercostal catheter , central venous catheter or arterial line
    • IABP/ECMO
    • EXCLUSIONS:
      • cardiac chest pain in past 2hrs
      • BP < 100mmHg or HR < 50 or HR > 120 or resp. distress or RR > 30 unless chronic and stable
      • temporary pacing wire
      • GCS falling > 2 points in 24hrs
      • suspected SAH, ruptured AAA, or meningococcal septicaemia
      • major trauma or suspected spinal cord injury
      • bleeding in 3rd trimester or labour
  • haemodynamically stable children:
    • those under 2yrs or intubated require doctor escort
    • can take ICC, CVC, Arterial lines, Hickmann’s Catheters and iv infusions
    • EXCLUSIONS:
      • weight < 4.5kg
      • major trauma or suspected spinal cord injury
      • suspected SAH or meningococcal septicaemia
      • GCS < 14
      • signs of decreased perfusion, BP < 70-80 (age dependent), HR < 80, or HR > 130 (age dependent) unless chronic and stable

• NSW Dept of Health circulars
• NSW neonatal & paediatric emergency transfer service (NSW NETS)
• Telstra Child Flight - dedicated helicopter for emergency retrieval of sick or injured kids
• Care Flight emergency medical retrieval - NSW
• Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS)
• Snowy Hydro South Care - aeromedical retrieval service ACT, SE NSW
• Westmead Trauma Service

• Care Flight emergency medical retrieval - Qld
• Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS)

• International Society of Aeromedical Services (ISAS)
• ACEM & RACP minimum standards for transport of the critically ill patient