University of Iowa AirCare

AirCare is the emergency helicopter programme of University of Iowa Health Care in Iowa City, Iowa. It is a hospital programme. UI Health Care provides the medical teams and Air Methods provides the aircraft and flying.

Services

AirCare moves critically ill and badly hurt patients, including newborns, children and adults with complex or time sensitive conditions. The site says it runs around the clock with helicopters and special ground ambulances.

Every flight carries red blood cells and plasma. Crews are trained to use a balloon pump and an Impella heart pump during transport. The team can also move patients on ECMO, and there is a dedicated neonatal team that takes babies to the children hospital at UI Health Care.

Crew and partners

Each flight has a flight nurse and a paramedic with at least three years of critical care or emergency experience. Many flights also carry a physician. The medical director is a practising emergency medical services doctor.

Air Methods supplies the aircraft, fuel, maintenance, dispatch and billing. UI Health Care supplies the medical staff and medical direction.

The site says staff train each month in critical care. Many take part in research. Crews also teach classes for EMS teams and hospitals, including landing zone and helipad safety training.

Facts

• Type: hospital programme of University of Iowa Health Care
• Aircraft operator: Air Methods
• Service began on 1 April 1979, as stated on the site
• Accreditation: CAMTS, held since 2013 according to the site
• The site says AirCare has four bases