Analysis of patients discharged from receiving hospitals within 24 hours of air medical transport

INTRODUCTION: Use review has become increasingly important in the current atmosphere of cost justification for air medical transport. One criterion for use review is patient discharge from receiving hospitals within 24 hours of transport. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and characteristics of patients discharged within 24 hours of air transport; the goal was to identify particular patient types likely to be discharged soon after air transport. METHODS: Flight records from November 1994 to September 1995 were reviewed. Follow-up identified patients who were discharged within 24 hours of air medical transport; these were designated the "24-hour group." Other patients were designated the "overall group." Comparisons between groups were made using the t test, Wilcoxon rank sum, and chi-square analysis (alpha = 0.05) for the following factors: age, vital signs, Glasgow coma score, percentage of intubated patients, and percentage of trauma and scene transports. RESULTS: Of the 945 flights analyzed, 42 (4.4%) transported patients who were discharged within 24 hours of air transport. Patients in the 24-hour group were younger, less likely to be intubated, and more likely to be scene-trauma transports compared with the overall group. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that air medical transports meet currently accepted criteria for helicopter transport. This study suggests that inappropriate air medical transport is rare, even in patients discharged from receiving hospitals within 24 hours of air transport.