Clinician-patient communication about emergency aerial medical evacuation in case of infectious disease

Albury, Charlotte; Tremblett, Madeleine; Webb, Helena; Begh, Rachna; Barnes, Rebecca; Lawrence, Wendy; Walmsley, Nichola; Groenewald, Deborah; Caunter, Marise; Patel, Dipti

Abstract

Aerial medical evacuation (AME) refers to the removal of patients from one site to a medical facility elsewhere using medically equipped air ambulances.1 In cases of certain infectious diseases it may be necessary to isolate patients in a patient isolation unit (PIU) or ‘pod’ during AME to reduce the risk of transmission of infection to others. Used to transfer patients within and between countries during outbreaks of infectious disease,2 during the COVID-19 pandemic AME became an area of ongoing need.3 With projections indicating current increases in pandemics will likely continue,4 the need for AME will do the same. However, AME in case of infectious disease is an under researched area. There is limited information about the processes and procedures of AME in case of infectious disease,5 and no research or guidance on how to communicate these to patients. A 2019 systematic review aimed to evaluate the processes and procedures used, including pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight.6 The review highlighted the importance of effective communication, but identified a dearth of studies in this area, with just one study detailing communication with patients during the flight, and none examining pre-flight communication.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 19, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Jan 31, 2023
• Publication Date: May 31, 2023
• Deposit Date: Feb 21, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 21, 2023
• Journal: Journal of Travel Medicine
• Print ISSN: 1195-1982
• Electronic ISSN: 1708-8305
• Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 30
• Issue: 4
• Article Number: taad014
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taad014
• Keywords: General Medicine, Air ambulances, emergency evacuation, clinical communication, patient provider interaction, aerial medical evacuation, infection, patient transport
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10475347
• Publisher URL: https://academic.oup.com/jtm/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jtm/taad014/7015954?login=true