Impact of emergency medical helicopter service on mortality for trauma in northeast Italy A regional prospective audit

The hypothesis that high level on-the-field ATLS could influence mortality in severe trauma patients was tested by means of a prospective study. During a 7 month period, data of all the victims of severe involuntary trauma (road traffic accidents, work and sport accidents) in 3 Provinces of north-east Italy were entered in a database and analysed. The whole area is covered by a single emergency service which has direct control over all the ambulances and the Emergency Helicopter Service (EMHS). The area concerned by the study has a surface of 7, 300 kmq with a population of 1 million inhabitants and is served by 12 first level hospitals and 4 second level institutions (trauma centres).