aspirus.org
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Reaching out
As part of its dedication to improving health
care in the communities it serves, Aspirus
MedEvac has a dedicated outreach coordinator
who provides professional educational and
training opportunities to emergency medical
services (EMS) partners. This includes:
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Simulated mass casualty accident scenes or
community disaster drills.
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A ground transport ride-along program.
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Continuing education opportunities, including
CPAP, stroke, cardiac, specialty transport and
hypothermia protocols.
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Safety and landing zone training to EMS,
hospitals, fire departments and law
enforcement.
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Quarterly educational forums for EMS.
GET TRAINED
Organizations can inquire about these
educational sessions by contacting
Mark Schroeder, Aspirus MedEvac RN/Outreach
Coordinator, at
715.847.2163
.
MedEvac in the UP
Aspirus MedEvac is the first and only
Wisconsin-based helicopter service
licensed to complete transports within
the UP for interfacility or scene response
requests. Aspirus MedEvac is also a
member of the Gogebic/Ontonagon
County Medical Control Authority. This
allows MedEvac to drastically reduce
the amount of time it takes for patients
to be transferred from one UP facility to
another or from the scene of a trauma to
an appropriate medical facility.
“In a trauma, every second counts,
so the faster you can get someone to a
facility that can provide the appropriate
level of medical care, the better chance
that person has at having a positive
outcome,” said Jason Keffeler, Aspirus
MedEvac program director.
Being a licensed helicopter service in
the UP allows Aspirus MedEvac to:
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Respond and transport patients
directly from a trauma or medical
scene to the closest appropriate
facility in Michigan, Wisconsin or
Minnesota.
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Provide interfacility transport of
patients with traumatic injuries,
myocardial infarctions (heart attack),
strokes, or other medical conditions
requiring critical care transport to the
appropriate facility within Michigan,
Wisconsin or Minnesota.
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Drastically decrease a patient’s out-of-
hospital time and expedite transport of
patients with time-critical conditions.
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Assist local emergency medical
services (EMS) to maintain 911
coverage in their areas by completing
long-distance transports and assist
with the transportation of critical
patients that may surpass capabilities
or service level of the local ambulance
service.
“If a hospital or trauma patient has
to be transported via ambulance a long
distance away from where the local
EMS are stationed, they may have to
leave their normal coverage area until
they return from transporting that
patient,” Keffeler said. “Not only can the
helicopter complete this same transfer
much faster, but it also allows that
ambulance to remain in its coverage
area in case a situation arises where it is
needed.”
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The specially equipped
helicopter can pick up
patients from regional
hospitals or directly from
an emergency scene.
