Maryland to revise medevac guidelines -- baltimoresun.com

In a move that could reduce the number of medevac flights in Maryland, state emergency medical officials announced yesterday that ambulance teams will be required to consult with doctors before deciding whether flying some accident victims to a trauma center is better than driving them to a local hospital.

The change, in response to a deadly helicopter crash in Prince George's County about a week ago, won't apply to victims with obviously traumatic injuries. But the state will stop automatically ordering medevac transportation based on the nature of an accident, as it does with hundreds of flights each year. Emergency workers will now speak with doctors before deciding whether such cases warrant a helicopter flight, said Dr. Robert R. Bass, director of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems.