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Failure to communicate: Learning lessons from Ornge
Mark HuberIn July, Ontario's coroner released the results of his long-anticipated investigation into 40 patient transport deaths between 2006 and 2012 at the Canadian province's troubled air ambulance service known as Ornge. Most of Ornge's travails have been well-publicized over the course of the last two years, and it is not my intent to rehash them here. Rather, I think it is useful to look at what the coroner said were gaps in decision-making and communications at Ornge because they are instructive in improving service in any EMS organization.
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Too fat to fly: Effect of weight on air medical transport
Mark HuberWhen is a medevac crewmember simply too fat to fly?
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EMS helicopters? Not in my backyard
Mark HuberNIMBY — the acronym means "not in my back yard." People are all for new power lines, airports, factories, windmills, oil wells and other things that benefit the public good — just not in their neighborhood. It's the height of democratic hypocrisy, and it's going on in my neighborhood right now.
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Just say no to MVFR
Mark HuberPilots by their nature are largely optimistic and dedicated to completing the mission, a trait that seems to be stronger in those who fly helicopter EMS. The reluctance to turn down a flight when a patient's life is potentially at stake, even when low clouds are moving in, and/or the temperature/dew point spread is narrowing, is understandable, even emotionally laudable. Life-savers are heroes after all. It is their job to fly into uncertain, dark skies. Wrong. By doing so they needlessly put their lives, the lives of their crew — and patients — at risk.
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