STARS Foundation Receives CIP Grant
On Dec. 14 I had the great opportunity to deliver some Christmas cheer to the STARS Foundation. Dressed up as Santa Clause, accompanied by my Constituency Manager dressed up as Mrs. Clause, I was able to present to STARS their CIP grant cheque for $75,000 which they're going to use to purchase AW139 Medical Interiors. These new interiors will allow for the transport of two critically ill patients in a manner taht provides the medcal team unrestricted access to each patient while delivering the best possible patient care. Miriam Moisan, Manager from STARS Foundation, explains in further detail.
“Currently, when STARS crews respond to a medical emergency, the patient receives highly specialized critical care in what can be best described as a “critical care unit in the sky”. STARS crew members sit at the head and side of the patient to deliver complete medical care. However, when STARS crews respond to mass casualty incidents, the ability to transport two patients during a mission limits patient care. The first patient is placed on a collapsible stretcher to one side of the cabin, while the second patient is transported on a secondary stretcher that sits on the floor of the cabin in very close proximity to the primary stretcher (the side facing seat having been folded up to fit the second patient). The result of this configuration causes next to impossible conditions by requiring the nurse and paramedic to sit at the heads of both patients, limiting equipment access and restricting patient care to their upper torso.
As a result, there are occasions when transport of two patients is required but not possible due to their unstable conditions and limited patient care potential. In these cases, transport options could include waiting for a second STARS helicopter already en route to the scene; ground transport to rendezvous with a second STARS helicopter at a mid-point destination; or ground transport to a fixed-wing aircraft. When time is of the essence, the delay in utilizing alternative measures could negatively impact patient outcome. The increased cabin size of the AW139 helicopter allows for the medical interior to be configured easily for a two-patient load, including crew seats on floor track systems that can be repositioned to be at the foot, head and/or between both patients, providing STARS crew members complete access to each patient thus providing the best possible in-flight care.”
To everyone at the STARS Foundation keep up the important work you do providing fast and efficient healthcare to Albertans.
