For critically ill or injured patients needing urgent care fast, every second is a race against time. But transportation to the hospital by helicopter is linked to a 1.5 percent increased survival rate compared with ground transportation, according to a 2012 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. For some this number may seem small, but for Texas nonprofit CareFlite, every patient taken by helicopter is another chance at saving a life.
In 1979, CareFlite was established by two hospitals in the DFW Metroplex. Its air medical program of nurses, paramedics and pilots initially transported about 20 patients each month. It was the first step in offering helicopter medical services throughout the North Texas with crews trained in a variety of areas, including trauma, cardiac, neonatal, obstetrics, pediatrics, and burn care, as well as lab proficiency skills. Later, CareFlite began operating a ground ambulance division in Dallas in 1980 to support its helicopter service. Since its founding, CareFlite has transported 939,997 patients by air and ground as of 12/31/16. It is the nation’s oldest joint use air medical program. CareFlite, a 501c3 not for profit, is sponsored by Baylor Scott and White Health, JPS Health Network, Methodist Health System, Parkland Health and Hospital and Texas Health Resources. Recognized for the safety and quality of its operations, programs from Australia, China, India, Ireland, to name a few counties, have visited CareFlite to study its methods of operation.
What began as a grassroots effort with one helicopter sponsored by two hospitals has today grown into an impressive fleet that includes two Bell 429s, four Bell 407GXs and one Bell 407GXP serving patients in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma. All the helicopters in CareFlite’s fleet are also enrolled in Bell Helicopter’s Customer Advantage Plan, providing the support needed throughout the lifecycle of their aircraft, from maintenance to lifesaving mission requirements. James C. Swartz, President and CEO at CareFlite, says as the company has continued to grow over the years, so has Bell Helicopter right alongside it: