Wartime Critical Care Transport

On 11 September 2002, the USAF began Aeromedical evacuation (AE) operations in support of OPERATION Enduring Freedom and OPERATION Iraqi Freedom. Since that time there have been 45,524 transports. A unique subset of these transports (approximately 400 to 500) were AE transports supported by the USAF Critical Care Air Transport Teams (CCATT). Data regarding these unique transports are contained in four separate sources: (1) TRAC2ES - a database of basic patient and flight information, (2) Mission Report - and ad hoc report completed by the CCAT team for each patient, (3) After Action Reports - a nonstandardized report regarding the activities of a CCAT team on single or multiple missions and (4) patient medical records. To date there has been no attempt made to link these four data sources together; thus, no systematic analysis has been conducted of the characteristics of these patients, their care requirements, the complications or challenges that occur during transport, or the outcomes for these patients. The specific aims of the study are to: (1) describe the type and frequency of casualties transported by CCATT in support of OEF and OIF, (2) describe the care provided during CCATT transport and (3) describe the outcomes of transport for these patients. A retrospective review of data will be conducted from the four sources specified above from all patients transported by CCATT in support of OEF and OIF since 11 Sep 2002 through the date of approval of this proposed study (Jun 2004). A preliminary analysis of these data sources suggests there will be approximately 400-500 transports. Additionally, outcomes will be evaluated for a subset of patients with a primary trauma, cardiac or pulmonary diagnosis transported from the AOR to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (n ~ 103) and from Landstuhl to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington DC (n ~ 45). Data will include physiological indices, equipment and supply use, complications during transport, and outcomes (morbidity, mortality, length of stay). A systematic analysis of these data sources is vital to inform decisions about the qualifications, preparation and readiness skills verification requirements for CCATT providers, specification of equipment and supply requirements, standardization of documentation, care requirements for specific patient populations, and validation of the concept of operations regarding the evacuation of "stabilized" patients.

Final report is available on NTRL: https://ntrl.ntis.gov/NTRL/dashboard/searchResults/titleDetail/PB2008113447.xhtml