Gyeongbuk Province's 'Flying Emergency Room,' Doctor Helicopter Marks 9th Anniversary ... Average Arrival Time in Province 24 Minutes

Introduced in July 2013, 2,623 Patients Transported Over 9 Years

'Emergency Medical Helicopter (Doctor Helicopter)'.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Gwiyeol] Gyeongbuk Province announced that the ‘Emergency Medical Helicopter (Doctor Helicopter)’ introduced in July 2013 to reduce the mortality rate of severe emergency patients has transported 2,623 patients over the past nine years, greatly contributing to protecting the precious lives of residents.

In the case of Gyeongbuk, due to the mountainous terrain in the northern region and transportation vulnerabilities, it is classified as an emergency medical vulnerable area, raising the need for rapid transportation means in the event of severe emergency patients.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Gyeongbuk Province selected Andong Hospital as the helicopter deployment medical institution in July 2013 and introduced the emergency medical helicopter, also known as the ‘Doctor Helicopter,’ to secure the golden time for severe emergency patients.

'Flying Emergency Room' Andong Hospital Doctor Helicopter Operation Scene.

The Doctor Helicopter flies to emergency sites with emergency specialists, emergency medical technicians (or nurses) on board and is equipped with emergency equipment such as airway intubation, ventilators, emergency ultrasound devices, 12-lead electrocardiographs capable of diagnosing myocardial infarction, enzyme measuring devices, and patient vital sign monitors.

It also carries more than 30 types of emergency medicines, enabling specialized treatments such as defibrillation (heart rhythm), cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy, chest tube insertion, securing intravenous access, and drug administration, earning it the nickname ‘Flying Emergency Room.’

The Doctor Helicopter currently deployed in Gyeongbuk is the AW-109 Grandnew (manufacturer: Italy) model, capable of carrying six people including emergency specialists, rescuers, and patients. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 3,175 kg and a maximum one-way flight range of 120 km.

Reviewing the mission records over the past nine years, the transported patients by diagnosis classification were mostly severe trauma patients with 707 cases (26.9%), followed by 599 cases (22.8%) of brain diseases and 395 cases (15.0%) of heart diseases.

The age distribution of patients was 693 in their 70s (26.4%), 540 in their 60s (20.5%), 601 in their 80s (19.1%), and 467 in their 50s (17.8%) in order.

By region, Yeongju had the highest number with 577 cases, followed by Mungyeong with 353 cases, Bonghwa with 332 cases, Uljin with 269 cases, and Cheongsong with 248 cases, showing many transports from the northern vulnerable emergency medical areas of Gyeongbuk.

Seasonally, spring (27.2%) and autumn (26.0%) were relatively higher than summer (25.9%) and winter (20.9%), and by month, April (9.2%) and August (9.2%) were the highest, while February (6.6%) was the lowest.

Requests for Doctor Helicopter dispatch can be made through emergency medical institutions or 119 paramedics via the control room, and it is prepared to dispatch 365 days a year to save a precious life.

Park Seongsu, Director of Welfare and Health Bureau of Gyeongbuk Province, said, “We will continue to do our best to protect the lives of residents by securing the golden time through rapid emergency patient transport.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.