AirCare to operate from WCHC

WASHINGTON — Spokespeople from Washington County Hospital and Clinics say the University of Iowa AirCare service will begin operating from the WCHC helipad for 10 hours a day, three days a week, on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays according to a news release. The program, operated by Air Methods, provides emergency medical flights and transfers.

Spokespeople said AirCare would take off from Washington, and transport patients frequently — but not exclusively — to Iowa City.

“AirCare provides emergency medical care, as well as hospital transfers, to patients throughout eastern Iowa. Members of the AirCare flight team may serve as resources while they are at Washington County Hospital and Clinics but their primary focus is to transport patients in southeast Iowa. AirCare commonly transports patients to University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics due to its location, size, and capabilities, but will take patients to any hospital requested by the referring entity (usually a doctor or EMS provider). The hospital is typically determined based on the patient’s need, the location of the facility, weather, and other factors. The transport time varies based on the location of both the patient and the receiving hospital, but air travel is significantly faster than ground travel,” read a joint statement from UIHC and Air Methods.

“The transport time varies based on the location of both the patient and the receiving hospital, but air travel is significantly faster than ground travel.”

WCHC Director of Marketing Greta Clemons said the arrangement would improve emergency helicopter response times throughout Southeast Iowa by about 12 minutes, the time it takes to fly from Iowa City to Washington.

"One of the biggest benefits is how quick … they’ll be able to get to where they’re going further this direction,“ Clemons said. ”It could ultimately save somebody’s life … I know 12 minutes doesn’t sound like a long time, but when it comes to saving somebody’s life, it’s very important.“

Clemons said the unit could also reach people in areas inaccessible by ambulance, an issue that’s not common, but not unheard of in rural Southeast Iowa.

“If a farmer were to go down in a field … they’re able to get there and get them loaded up and taken to where they need to go,” she said. “Being in rural Iowa, it’s something we always want to be careful for and watch out for.”

The station will improve AirCare’s range as well. Clemons said the helicopter could get as far as Missouri without needing to refuel, if it took off from Washington.

The helicopter’s staff — a paramedic and a flight nurse — will serve at the hospital in Washington while they’re not in the air, and would take off for AirCare calls as they come in. An Air Methods representative said transporting patients would remain their “primary focus.”

“While they’re here on-site, we’re going to use the paramedic and the flight nurse as much as we can,” Clemons said. “They’ll have to be very flexible just in case they have to fly out to an emergency … but they’ll help us in our inpatient unit, they’ll help us in our E.R. as much as needed.”

The hospital may extend AirCare’s hours at the facility in the future. Clemons said the current three-day plan was a test program.

“We’re kind of doing a soft launch trial with them to see how it goes,” she said. “Hopefully in the future it will be something we’ll be able to offer 24/7 and have them located here all the time.”

As the program takes off, a news release from WCHC said residents in the area could expect to hear three or four takeoffs per day, during the aircraft’s hours from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the allotted days.

“The crew will also take note of their flight patterns and vary their routes as much as possible,” the release said. “Noise from the helicopter will occur expeditiously and will only be apparent during take offs and landings.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com