Cardiac arrest & resuscitation
Helicopter emergency medical services in Iceland between 2018 and 2022–A retrospective study
Authors' conclusion
In Iceland, the number of transports is lower but activation and flight times for HEMS flights are considerably longer than in other Nordic countries, likely due to geographical features and the structure of the service including utilizing helicopters both for HEMS and search and rescue operations.
Study context
- Population
- All individuals requiring helicopter emergency medical services (helicopter emergency services (HEMS)) transportation in Iceland, 2018–2022
- Outcome
- HEMS flight and patient characteristics
Methodological detailsdescriptive, national, Descriptive statistics; data from the Icelandic Coast Guard database and Landspitali and Akureyri hospital databases
- Descriptive
- National
- Descriptive statistics; data from the Icelandic Coast Guard database and Landspitali and Akureyri hospital databases
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Average number of HEMS transports (per 10,000 inhabitants)
- 3.5
- Activation time, median [IQR] (min)
- 30 [20-42]
- Flight time, median [IQR] (min)
- 40 [26-62]
- Advanced medical therapy during primary transports
- 66 (10%)
- Admitted to ICU
- 157 (24%)
- Needed surgery
- 188 (28%)
- Needed coronary angiography
- 53 (7.9%)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Helicopter emergency medical services in Iceland between 2018 and 2022–A retrospective study. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. Published 7 August 2024. doi:10.
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