Mercy Flight (Benefis Health)

Benefis Mercy Flight is the hospital air medical program of Benefis Health System in Great Falls, Montana. It provides emergency and critical care transport for adults and children. The program has existed since 1983 and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems.

Mercy Flight uses helicopters, fixed wing airplanes, and a ground critical care vehicle. Every service the program provides by air can also be offered in the ground vehicle. The program is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Depending on patient need, a flight crew may include registered nurses, paramedics, and registered respiratory therapists. The crews are experienced and certified. The program offers specialized care for both adults and children.

Helicopter transports are contracted through Metro Aviation. The helicopters offer critical support at accident scenes and carry patients from isolated areas. They also move patients from surrounding communities to Benefis. Metro Aviation holds operational control over all rotor wing flights.

Fixed wing transports are contracted through Aero Air. These flights carry patients over longer distances within Montana. They also reach larger cities, such as Spokane and Seattle in Washington, Salt Lake City in Utah, and Denver in Colorado. Aero Air holds operational control over all fixed wing flights. The plane can land on some of the shortest runways in Montana.

The ground critical care vehicle responds when weather grounds the helicopter or the fixed wing plane. It also moves patients to and from rural places that need a higher level of care.

Mercy Flight provides trauma response, critical care emergency medicine, cardiac life support, care for high risk pregnant women, and intensive care for newborns. In a medical emergency, people should call 911. Emergency service providers, law enforcement, and 911 centers have authority to dispatch Mercy Flight. Anyone who needs the program directly can contact the Mercy Flight Communication Center.

Services

• Trauma response
• Critical care emergency medicine
• Cardiac life support
• Care for high risk pregnant women
• Intensive care for newborns
• Helicopter transport
• Fixed wing transport
• Ground critical care transport