FlightCare (MyMichigan Health)

FlightCare is an air medical helicopter service based in Saginaw, Michigan. Its own page sits on the MyMichigan Health website, so it works as a hospital system programme. It moves critically ill and injured adults, children and newborns.

Services

FlightCare flies to accident scenes and between hospitals. The site says it is open every day of the year, weather permitting. Crews can give advanced life support and have medicines and blood products on board. Babies travel in an isolette.

The site lists cardiac, breathing, stroke, burn, brain and spine injury and child emergencies among the conditions it treats. It also lists limits. It does not take women in active labour, prisoners, or patients who need a balloon pump or ECMO.

Crew and coverage

Each flight has a pilot, a flight nurse and a flight paramedic. Pilots each have more than 2,000 hours of flight experience and hold helicopter instrument ratings. Family members cannot fly with the patient.

The main service area is the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, including the Thumb. FlightCare also flies across Michigan and to nearby states.

The site says the helicopter has full resuscitation equipment. Patients and families should ask their own insurer about cover, because the site says it varies by plan.

Facts

• Type: hospital system programme shown on the MyMichigan Health site
• Serving Michigan since 1987, as stated on the site
• More than 15,000 patients flown, according to the site
• Cruise speed above 140 mph