Some civilian 412 EMS aircraft are equipped to carry four patients. The standard crew is two medical personnel in the cabin thus they have an ability to handle more than one patient. The number of patients they can care for is predicated upon the severity of patients and the amount of care they require. I have carried a third medical crewmember when transporting two critical patients or when transporting a premature birth infant and a Isolette.
Excess capability beats lack of capability by far....and in time will cost less than the "cheap" way.