STAT Medevac

STAT MedEvac is a service of the Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The primary function of STAT MedEvac is to provide air medical transport for patients with an injury or critical illness. STAT MedEvac is directed by a consortium of hospitals which include Altoona Regional Health System, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, UPMC Mercy and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). STAT Medevac's base of operations is in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania at the Allegheny County Airport.

STAT MedEvac primarily uses helicopters to perform its mission of transporting patients, and also operates a Beechcraft 100 King Air, a Learjet 35, and a Learjet 55 fixed wing aircraft. They have completed patient transports worldwide.

History

1984: STAT completes their first transport. 1994: Opens two helicopter bases, bringing the total number to five, and began using IFR. 1999: Opened a base in Cleveland, Ohio in partnership with University Hospitals, bringing total number of helicopter bases to eight. 2000: Opened bases in Clearfield, Pennsylvania and Baltimore, Maryland. 2001: Opened MedEvac 11 in Altoona, Pennsylvania at the Altoona Hospital. 2002: Opened another base in Ohio (Lorain), in partnership with University Hospital. University Medevac 8 crashes on takeoff from University Hospital, killing the pilot and flight nurse. The flight paramedic survives. 2003: Opened three more helicopter bases: York, PA. Youngstown, OH. Kittanning, PA. Also began operating the existing flight program based at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA. 2004: Medevac operations in Cleveland and Ohio are transferred to University Hospital (Medevac 8 and 12). 2005: Opens new base in New Philadelphia, OH. Designated "MedEvac 8" as the former Medevac 8 base was no longer operated by STAT MedEvac. Opens new base in Hagerstown, Maryland, designated as "Medevac 12." 2006: Opens new base in Dansville, NY. This base was closed later that year after approximately 8 months. Medevac 8 in New Philadelphia, OH was closed simultaneously. New base opened in Washington, DC in partnership with Children's National Medical Center. STAT Medevac is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems. 2010: STAT MedEvac becomes the Air Operations Vendor for Lifestar, based in Harborcreek, PA. Lifestar, a division of EmergyCare, Inc., provides the medical crew and STAT MedEvac provides the pilot and Direct Air Carrier services. Medical crew operate under the STAT MedEvac protocols and receive Medical Command through STATComm.

Aircraft

Medevac 3, a Eurocopter EC 135, on the pad at UPMC Passavant Hospital

STAT MedEvac uses two types of helicopters for patient transport, the Eurocopter EC 135 and the EC-145. Their fleet has included the MBB Bo 105, Eurocopter AS-355 F2 Twinstar and AS-365 N3 Dauphin,the MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 and the Bell 430 (N430Q, which set an around-the-world speed record in 1996).

STAT MedEvac is a Direct Air Carrier E3MA774L and arranges and coordinates the operation of air ambulance services. All flights are operated by STAT MedEvac.

Locations

• Medevac 1 - Washington County Hospital, Washington, PA.
• Medevac 2 - Greensburg, PA. (Air Rescue East), Westmoreland County, PA
• Medevac 3 - UPMC Passavant Cranberry, Butler County, Cranberry Township, PA.
• Medevac 4 - Allegheny County Airport, West Mifflin, PA.
• Medevac 5 - Connellsville Airport, Fayette County, PA.
• Medevac 6 - Clarion Hospital, Clarion County, PA.
• Medevac 7 - UPMC Greenville, Mercer County, PA
• Medevac 8 - Grove City Airport, Mercer County, PA
• Medevac 9 - Clearfield/Lawrence Airport, Clearfield County, PA.
• MedEvac 10 - Pier 7, Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Maryland.
• Medevac 11 - Altoona Regional Hospital, Blair County, PA.
• Medevac 13 - York Airport, York County, PA.
• Medevac 14 - Youngstown Elser Airport, Mahoning County, OH.
• Medevac 15 - Jefferson County Airpark, Jefferson County, OH
• MedEvac 16 - Armstrong County Memorial Hospital, Kittanning, PA.
• MedEvac 17 - Corry/Lawrence Airport, Erie County, PA (Lifestar)
• Medevac 18 - Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC.

Communications

STAT Medevac operates a three-department communications center. This communications center is staffed with 10-12 people at 12 work stations, performing a variety of tasks. A physician is assigned to the communications center to handle medical control of the three divisions of the communications center. Medic Command processes approximately 36,000 medical consults each year for various ambulance services and STAT Medevac. STATComm processes approximately 22,000 requests for medical service each year. They maintain contact with the helicopters by use of a 12-tower regional two-way radio system, Outerlink satellite tracking system, and satellite phones. Aeromed Software is used to identify the closest resources, and all phone and radio communications are recorded with the VoicePrint system. STATMD provides medical direction for three major airlines (Air Canada, Delta and United), and approximately 250 physician consults are conducted every month, consisting of medical emergencies and pre-board medical screening. Approximately 450 oxygen arrangements are completed every month for Delta. STATMD also provides services to US Steel, and telemedicine services to World Clinic. Over 400 Medjet customers are also assisted every month with physician consults, medevac coordination, or repatriation services.

STAT Medevac developed emsCharts, prehospital data collection and management software products for air medical and ground Emergency Medical Services. The intellectual property rights to emsCharts were sold to two former managers in 2006 and it now exists as a completely separate entity.

External links

• StatMedEvac homepage
• emsCharts homepage
• Center for Emergency Medicine
• Lifestar
• Lifestar-STAT Medevac partnership