The outcome of emergency patient transported by public air ambulance service in Thailand

Abstract

Abstract Background: Public EMS in Thailand was established for many years ago with ground transportation. Aeromedical transport was started for military mission and Private air ambulance service was established for private insurance and pay service. Thai sky doctor service was start since 2010 by initiative idea of former Secretary-General NIEM, Dr.chatree charoenchiwakul and his team. Collaboration under MOU is tools for development of this project. More than 1 million EMS case per year were transported by ground ambulance but only 205 missions were request for pubic air ambulance service in Thailand. Methods: A Descriptive Cross Sectional study using Mixed method was used to study the outcome of emergency patient transported by Public air ambulance service (Thai sky doctor service ) in Thailand. Purposive selective for quantitative data use secondary data of all patient record from NIEM (N= 205) Qualitative data use primary data from staff who associated with Thai sky doctor service system ; National 1669 Dispatch center (N=3) ,Regional 1669 Dispatch center (N=1), Flight medical director (N=3) , Flight medical team ( N=6). Percentage, Mean, median, SD were used for descriptive data and Fisher’s Exact test were used for explore the factors associated with 1 day and 3 days outcome. Results: The results showed that 205 missions were request for pubic air ambulance service in Thailand. 184 cases were transported and 33 cases were not transport due to lack of aircraft, weather condition and patients was dead before transport. There were identified characteristic of Thai sky doctor service and factors associated with 1 and 3 day outcome post air transportation. Gender, age, disease group, patient severity, medical team, response time and transport time were not associated with 1day outcome. Gender, age, disease group, medical team, response time and transport time were not associated with 3 days outcome. While patient severity was significant difference associated with 3 days outcome at the .05 statistical level (p = .033). Conclusion: Thailand has developing public air ambulance service policy with good public concern. Patient severity before air transport are associated with delayed 3 days outcome. Further study may need to improve patient outcome and support public air ambulance service development.