Valley Ambulance AuthorityPolicies & Guidelines

Subject

29-April-2014

Heritage Valley HealthSystem -

Sewickley Campus

Requests for Groundand/or AeromedicalPatient Transfers

SOP# Operations

Overview: To coordinate and help effectuate promptground and/or aeromedicaltransportation of urgent and emergent patients from Heritage Valley Health System - Sewickley(flHVHS-SewickleyJl) to designated regional tertiary care centers in a safe and effective manner.

Adopted

Revised

Background: Due of the relative close proximity of the HVHS- Sewickley Campus to tertiarycare centers located in and around the City of Pittsburgh, transport of HVHS- Sewickleypatients, requiring a higher level of care, is typically performed by ground ambulance;

However, on a limited number of occasions each year, when unusual circumstances arise,certain patients may require aeromedical transportation to a regional tertiary care center viahelicopter.

As HVHS- Sewickley Campus does not contain an approved heliport; the following proceduresshould be followed when the need for patient transport to a tertiary care center is beingconsidered:

HVHSpersonnel will initially contact the selected tertiary care center to: 1) discuss the patient'scondition; 2) confirm the availability of admission and treatment at the receiving tertiary carefacility; and; 3) confirm whether a specialty team will be sent to HVHSvia ground or air and/or;4) confirm the whether the patient will be transported via ground or air;

Life Flight: 412-359-3333 STATMedevac - 412-647-7828

Once the tertiary care center approves and accepts the transfer request, HVHSpersonnelshould immediately call Valley Ambulance Authority ("VAA") at (412) 262-2620 to requestand coordinate either ground or aeromedical transportation of the patient(s).

Procedures:

When VAA receives a request from HVHS-Sewickley, the following procedures should befollowed:

1) For All Transports: The VAA Dispatcher should rapidly obtain pertinent informationabout the patient's condition, treatment plan, destination and requested mode oftransport;

2) For Ground Transports: Depending on the severity of the patient's condition, thetransport should be designated by HVHSas either "Urgent" or "Emergent". The VAADispatcher will send the closest ALSequipped ambulance to HVHS- Sewickley within 15minutes for ground transports designated as "Emergent" and within 30 minutes forground transports designated as "Urgent".

3) For Aeromedical Transports: The VAA Dispatcher will ask HVHSpersonnel whether aparticular aeromedical service has already been contacted or if Valley should determinethe closest appropriate helicopter(s);

a. VAA will contact the designated aeromedical service (see below) or VAA willcontact both regional aeromedical providers to determine the closestappropriate helicopter and estimated time of arrival;

b. VAA will select and coordinate the designated landing zone:

c. All parties have agreed that the closest appropriate and primary landing zone forpatient transports from HVHS- Sewickley campus is the sports field adjacent tothe Quaker Valley Middle School located at 618 Harbaugh Street, Sewickley, PA15143; (OMS Latitude: 40 32' 6.6264" N OMS Longitude: 8010' 50.4480" W)

d. VAA will notify Allegheny County 911 for dispatch of both Sewickley Police andCochran Hose Company to the landing zone to help assure safety;

a. If the designated landing zone is VAA Headquarters, VAA will notify MoonTownship Police Dispatch at 412-262-5000 for dispatch of both Moon Police andMoon Fire Department to the landing zone to help assure safety;

e. If time permits, during school hours, VAA will attempt to contact Joe Marronefrom the Quaker Valley School District at 412-977-8154 to notify him of theimpending arrival of a helicopter at the Middle School location;

4) If the primary landing zone is not available, a secondary landing zone has beendesignated. The secondary zone is the parking lot in front of the Valley AmbulanceAuthority Headquarters located at 3550 University Blvd. Moon Township, PA 15108(OMS Latitude: 40 31' 36.4332" N OMS Longitude: 8011' 0.5280" W);

5) In the event that both the primary and secondary landing zones are not available foruse, the VAA Dispatcher may select an alternate landing zone from the designatedlanding zone list which is located in a binder the VAA Communications Center;

6) VAA will then dispatch the closest appropriate ALSambulance to the designated landingzone for transport of the aeromedical crew and/ or patient to and from HVHS-Sewickley;

7) If the helicopter is delayed for any reason and cannot complete its mission in a timelyand safe manner, VAA will make all reasonable attempts to secure alternative groundand/ or aeromedical transportation;

8) In the event of unusual or unexpected circumstances, VAA Dispatch will attempt toupdate and communicate with HVHSand / or other public safety agencies.

9) VAA Dispatchers should follow all other designated policies, procedures, directives andCADprocedures related to proper documentation of ambulance and / or helicoptertransfer times and details