Contracting has always been about contracting out the problem! Hence the reason you pay more for a contract than you do if you pay wages to your own staff (when things are going right at least)
There have always been patients who will die waiting to be retrieved, NT VIC or elsewhere. Who's to say they will live if they get to a bigger getter hospital always. The best of medical science cannot reverse years of poor diet and lifestyle.
Anyways always better that the patient die waiting to be retrieved than the crew die "rushing" to get there - marginal weather - limited planning - pressing necessity - sick sick come quick etc!