The advantages of aircraft in providing military medical evacuation are well documented. Training and experience have resulted in a reliable and safe military medical evacuation system. Many studies have been done or are in process which pertain to civil emergency helicopter evacuation. Fixed-wing secondary ambulance service is growing at a rapid rate without the benefit of studies such as those pertaining to helicopter primary ambulance service. Problems associated with this growth relate to equipment, crew training, and knowledge of the physiology of flight. Legislative and/or education efforts are needed to assure optimum general aviation patient transportation. (Author).

Still the only book published anywhere in the world which is devoted entirely to the principles of aeromedical transport, Aeromedical Transportation has rightly become known as the sole reference for the industry. This second edition has been radically revised and updated; featuring the latest research, updated references and new chapters on the transport of intensive care patients, and medical emergencies/death in flight. Since the first edition was published in 1996, the concept of 'evidence-based medicine' has been accepted as essential in any book which endeavours to be the accepted knowledge base in its subject area. A very practical text, international in its approach, much of its content is devoted to clinical matters. Administration and organisation are also discussed, but are addressed from the standpoint of the clinical aeromedical escort. The text is suitable for medical, paramedical and nursing personnel and for those working in organizations whose duties include the transportation of the sick and injured by air.

The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) has been accrediting air and ground transport services since 1991. One of the most significant needs the Commission has recognized is to assist transport services in creating a culture that supports safety and quality for both crews and patients. Most of the helicopter EMS (emergency medical service) accidents and many ground ambulance accidents can be attributed to human factors and systems designs that lead to poor decision-making. Management commitment is vital to create and maintain a culture that supports risk assessment, accountability, professionalism and organizational dynamics. This reference book has been created by CAMTS to address this need directly and comprehensively. It offers a groundbreaking collection of expert insights and practical solutions that can be used by EMS, Fire and Rescue, public and private services, and professional emergency and transport professionals worldwide. Quoting from the foreword written by the late Robert L. Helmreich, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at The University of Texas Human Factors Research Project, 'This is an important book which should be required reading for everyone involved in patient transport, from managers and dispatchers to those at the sharp end… The experienced and able authors and editors of this work use culture as the overarching concept needed to maximize safety while delivering patients expeditiously.'