Cam Broten MLA

25 January 2012

The Sask. Party government is bringing a helicopter ("rotary wing") ambulance program to Saskatchewan but, contrary to recommendations made in an independent report, they have failed to ensure the needed infrastructure is in place. Now we'll have a helicopter ambulance service but no place for them to land at hospitals.

Here is what an independent report, commissioned by the Sask. Party government, had to say about the importance of having helipads at hospitals:

"The rotary wing program will be challenged in providing better care than what exists already without helipads at both the sending and receiving facilities" (p. 17).

"Helicopters are most efficient relative to fixed wing aircraft when there are helipads at both the sending and receiving facilities. For airport-to-airport travel, fixed wing aircraft are both faster and more economical. Providing helipads at sending facilities only will improve response times (i.e. patients will wait less before coming under the care of [the air ambulance crew]). Having a helipad at the receiving facility as well will also reduce the patient’s out-of-hospital time, with the potential benefit of further improving patient outcomes. Helipad-to-helipad flights make the most of the helicopter’s abilities and offer the greatest improvement over the use of fixed wing aircraft or road ambulances" (p. 14).

Here's a link to a PDF of the complete independent report.