Long-term Evaluation of Patients Treated by an Emergency Medical Helicopter

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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In May 2010 the first danish physician-staffed Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (PS-HEMS) was implemented in Region Zealand and the Capital Region (excluding Bornholm) of Denmark. In relation to the introduction of PS-HEMS, a team of collaborators lead by Rasmus Hesselfeldt, conducted an observational study to investigate the possible effects on time to definitive care, secondary transfers and 30-day mortality in a before and after design. Results showed reduced time from first dispatch to arrival at the trauma centre from 218 min to 90 min. Secondary transfers to the trauma centre dropped from 50 % to 34 % and 30-day mortality significantly reduced from 29 % to 14 % in the year after implementation. The present study is an observational cohort study with long-term follow-up of the same trauma population as mentioned above. Patients were followed until may 1st, 2014. Primary outcome is early retirement and secondary outcomes are quality of life and mortality. The investigators hypothesize that a greater proportion of trauma patients in the after period will remain in occupation after approx. 3 to 4.5 years compared with trauma patients treated in the before period.

Official Title
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Long-term Evaluation of Patients Treated by an Emergency Medical Helicopter

Conditions
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Wounds and Injuries

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patients treated by a trauma team in the catchment area of PS-HEMS. For all labor market attachment analysis the investigators only include patients between 18 to 60 years of age. For all other analysis (mortality and quality of life) there are no age limits. Exclusion Criteria: Patients transported by private means or by the police. Patients who at the emergency department were categorized as non-trauma patients.
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Trauma patients before PS-HEMS<br>The before period was between december 1 2009 to april 30 2010 (five months). | |
| Traume patients after PS-HEMS<br>The after period was between may 1 2010 to april 30 2011 (12 months). | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Labor market attachment | Primary analysis: Risk of early retirement Secondary analysis: Risk of reduced work capability | 3 - 4.5 years after trauma | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Health-related quality of life | Health-related quality of life is measured using the Danish version of the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionaire. | 3 - 4.5 years after trauma | 
| All cause mortality | Primary analysis: Risk of death. Secondary analysis: Predictors of death | 3 - 4.5 years after trauma | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, Trauma, Early retirement, ISS, Quality of life