Saving the Air Medical Industry
The article above has been written by a well known critic of the US HEMS operations. Quite a few interesting points. However, if everything the author suggests is implemented----it will kill the US HEMS industry.
Moreover, folks in Europe must understand the size of this country. There are people living in rural America with access to an understaffed clinic that need helicopters. Even if it is for a "simple" heart attack. A lot of rural ambulance services are staffed by volunteers who have very basic skills and may not be able to baby sit a patient for a three hour drive to a metro hospital.All this has to be taken into consideration. Deregulation is almost killing the airline industry here but it has had great benefits too. So, IMHO,the answer (as always) lies somewhere in between rampant capitalism with deregulation and total govt. subsidized over regulated socialism.
If we want twin engine,two pilot fully IFR capable helicopters to fly only by day or do only IFR approaches to hospitals , then let us call it quits and have only FW operations instead of helicopters for EMS.They can fly patients from airport to airport,IFR only, two pilots all the time and ambulance crews from hospitals or scenes can bus them to and from the local airport.Problem solved.
I am curious how our friends in OZ run the Flying Doctor Service?.Any Aussies here who might like to weigh in ,especially with respect to rural Australia also (or maybe --only?) known as the Outback?
Alt3.
P.S.
Disclaimer: None of the above should be construed as me being supportive of the status quo.Our safety record here is dismal and a great deal needs to be done but let us also not go overboard and acknowledge the cultural, geographic ,economic and ,yes , political, differences between the US and the rest of the world.