Dr. Helicopter dispatched to less than half the number of requests to think about infection risk Gunma September 3, 4:53
It was found that the number of doctor helicopters dispatched from Gunma prefecture between April and July has dropped to less than half of last year.
The hospital that operates the helicopter believes that the fire department may be refusing requests for helicopters more than necessary, considering the risk of infection with the new coronavirus.
Gunma Prefecture's doctor helicopter is based at Maebashi Red Cross Hospital so that it can be transported within the entire prefecture within about 20 minutes, but this time, the number of dispatched doctor helicopters from April to July is 154 cases, last year. It has decreased to less than half of the same period.
In the prefecture, due to the high airtightness inside the plane, in principle, patients who are suspected to be infected with the new coronavirus will not be transported by doctor helicopter, but at the Maebashi Red Cross Hospital, fire fighters consider infection risk, I think there is a possibility that we are refraining from requesting helicopters more than necessary.
Also, although the helicopter was dispatched, the proportion of people carrying it by ambulance without riding a patient was also increasing due to concerns about infection risk, and it was 31% from April to July last year, but at the same time of this year It was 49%.
On the 29th of last month, a man in Saitama Prefecture was suspected of having a stroke in Tsumagoi-mura, and a helicopter was dispatched, but it was judged that the infection risk could not be eliminated because the man frequently went to Tokyo. , Transported by ambulance.
Dr. Daisuke Kobashi of the Maeashi Red Cross Hospital Advanced Emergency and Critical Care Center said, “If a crew member is infected, the helicopter may be suspended, which may further affect emergency medical care. Strengthening efforts to connect medical care as soon as possible I have no choice but to go."