Hospital helicopter gets more flights
Jul. 8—HIGH POINT — If you live near Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist High Point Medical Center and think you have been hearing more medical helicopter flights, you're not imagining it.
Health system officials say that the helicopters are getting more use so far this year than last year because of new services and procedures now available at the hospital.
The greater use of helicopters relates to an increasing number of patients being flown to High Point Medical Center to take advantage of the more advanced intensive care units and cardiac care capabilities at the hospital, a spokeswoman tells The High Point Enterprise. Previously the patients would have been flown to other regional medical centers.
"This increase in flights highlights the high-quality care patients receive not only in High Point but across the Triad region," the spokeswoman said.
So far this year High Point Medical Center is averaging 17 flights each month to and from the hospital, according to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist.
High Point Medical Center President Dr. James Hoekstra said that the flights provide a critical service for health care providers.
"As an emergency medicine physician and as a former chair of emergency medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and now as the president of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist High Point Medical Center for the past five years, I have seen firsthand how Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist AirCare is such a valuable resource to people across our entire region and to High Point Medical Center," Hoekstra told The Enterprise. "Many teams work closely together to ensure patients receive the right level of care, at the right location and at the right time."
The helicopters provide round-the-clock, 365-days-a-year emergency medical service. The aircraft serving High Point Medical Center are part of an emergency medical service network assisting patients in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee.
Each crew includes a pilot, flight nurse and paramedic. The nurse and paramedic are certified in multiple areas of emergency care and have undergone training in advanced airway management, burn and trauma care, pediatrics and cardiology.
The aircraft are equipped with life support and patient care equipment.
The helicopters ferry adult and pediatric patients with a variety of conditions, including trauma, cardiac arrest, stroke and burns.
pjohnson@hpenews.com — 336-888-3528 — @HPEpaul
