Helicopter Emergency Medical Service presentations to an Irish emergency department.
Irish medical journal · 2026-01-22 · Observational study
Abstract
AIM: Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) provide rapid aeromedical transport for critically ill or injured patients. Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) has accepted HEMS patients since 2012. This study aimed to characterise the demographics, clinical management and outcomes of patients presenting to TUH Emergency Department (ED) via HEMS. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of all adult HEMS presentations to TUH ED between January 2016 and December 2021 was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 192 HEMS patients presented to TUH ED from 16 counties. The mean age was 46.8 years, and 151 (78.6%) were male. Traumatic injuries in 177 patients accounted for 92% of the HEMS presentations, with road traffic accidents (63/192, 32%) the most common mechanism of injury. 152 patients (81%) required admission to TUH. Fourteen patients (7.2%) required interhospital transfer for specialist care. The average ED stay was 10.66 hours, and the mean hospital length of stay was 10 days, with longer stays observed in patients aged ≥65 years (12 days vs. 9.6 days, p < 0.01). DISCUSSION: TUH ED is a trauma HEMS receiving hospital for a wide geographical area. HEMS patients are typically high acuity with high admission rates and requirement for surgical interventions.