Assessment of the Perceived Benefit of Helicopter Emergency Medical Service in the East of England: A Multicenter Survey of Crews.

Christopher T Edmunds, Zachary Starr, Kate Lachowycz, Andy Smith, Sarah McLachlan, Rob Major

Air Medical Journal · 2026-01-01 · Observational study

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) are traditionally valued for their advanced clinical interventions and rapid transport capabilities. This study explores the broader contributions of HEMS in the East of England, including nonclinical roles such as crew empowerment, decision-making, and scene management. METHODS: A 2-phase survey was conducted in 2021 and 2022 among HEMS and ground emergency medical services (GEMS) crews. The survey assessed perceived benefits of HEMS, with matched responses analyzed using Cohen's kappa to evaluate interprofessional agreement. Statistical analyses were performed in R, with significance set at P < .05. Ethical approval was obtained from Anglia Ruskin University. RESULTS: Across 1,403 HEMS taskings, 70.8% involved advanced clinical interventions and 66.9% were perceived to empower GEMS crews. Only 9.8% of missions were reported as offering no additional benefit. Fair agreement was found between HEMS and GEMS on clinical interventions and triage decisions, though discrepancies emerged in advisory roles and scene management. CONCLUSION: HEMS crews perceive their impact as extending beyond clinical care, contributing meaningfully to emergency response through advisory and collaborative roles. Differences in perception between HEMS and GEMS highlight the subjective nature of interprofessional assessments. Further research using larger samples and qualitative methods is recommended to deepen understanding of HEMS contributions to prehospital care.

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Tags

Helicopter & air ambulance · Interagency collaboration · Paramedics & EMTs · Prehospital physicians · Teamwork & human factors

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