India's Aviation Ministry Launches Historic Air Helicopter Emergency Medical Service

Helicopter Emergency Medical Service: In an innovative step, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) in India is leading the way in a healthcare revolution with the launch of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS). This tactical project is poised to reshape medical outreach by guaranteeing prompt emergency medical attention within the critical first hour after potentially fatal events.

From Pilot Project to Full-Fledged HEMS

The involvement by the MoCA began with the launch of a pilot project, which brought helicopters within the realm of Emergency Medical Services (EMS). A party has been chosen via a tender process to supply a single helicopter for use as an air ambulance at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh helipad for a period of one year.

This innovative project will soon be launched and will act as a model for other states, such Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, who have shown a strong need for comparable services. The chosen helicopter is outfitted with a fully functional Emergency Medical Service (EMS) gear that includes a stretcher and other necessary medical supplies. This allows for the transfer of one patient and one to two medical staff over a distance of one hundred nautical miles.

AIIMS Rishikesh at the Helm

AIIMS Rishikesh will oversee and direct medical care, guaranteeing that the patient's condition-specific medical supplies are available. The MoCA is taking a bold stance when it comes to the national rollout of HEMS services. They foresee an integrated network that would supplement land-based ambulances and greatly improve accessibility to trauma care.

Regional Industry Conclave 2024 Unveils Healthcare Transformation

Meanwhile, at the Regional Industry Conclave 2024 on Saturday, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh officially opened the Air Ambulance Services. With its main office in Bhopal, the Madhya Pradesh Air Ambulance Service is set to completely transform the state's healthcare system. This all-inclusive service, manned by highly skilled physicians and paramedics, is outfitted with both a fixed-wing and heli-ambulance and attempts to cover all districts and administrative divisions.

Revolutionizing Healthcare Accessibility

Refuelling possibilities at current airports enable continuous day and nighttime HEMS operations, covering any area of Madhya Pradesh. The HEMS fleet consists of a fixed-wing plane and a single-engine helicopter. In line with the Ayushman Bharat Yojna, the service offers priority patient stabilisation at pickup sites, followed, if needed, by airlifting them to more advanced medical facilities in large cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, or Hyderabad.

Bhopal's Rapid Response and Remote Monitoring Revolution

The HEMS team's strategic assets include its capacity to land anywhere in the state and its operations base in Bhopal, which guarantees quick reaction times. The main point of contact for medical transfers is an assigned nodal officer, who facilitates communication between district medical officials and the Air Ambulance Command Centre.

With the advent of Rapid Response Emergency Medical Systems (RREMS), remote monitoring is integrated and allows the International Critical Care Air Transfer Team (ICATT) Command Centre in Bhopal to examine critical patients in real time. By optimising the use of aircraft and medical teams, this cutting-edge technology guarantees a prompt and effective response to medical emergencies.

Pawan Hans and ICATT

Pawan Hans supports this project by deploying a Bell 407 Helicopter that is outfitted with necessary medical equipment in partnership with ICATT. Pawan Hans' dedication to societal welfare and its active involvement in life-saving missions are demonstrated by this relationship.

With more than ten years of experience, the doctors of ICATT Air Ambulance Services, the largest air ambulance service in Asia, specialise in critical care. ICATT, well-known for its proficiency and tested HEMS concept during the 2018 Kerala floods, is leading the charge to transform air ambulance services in India.