Wartime Critical Care Air Transport: Ground Transportation Problems

Background
Rapid transport of critically injured soldiers occurs in a very fluid, time-sensitive environment. Anecdotal information suggests that the ground transport care environment of the Critical Care Air Transport team (CCATT) mission is potentially the most hazardous for the patient. It is important to have a system that ensures safe transport. Identification of patient safety issues can provide the necessary information to develop standards and protocols to improve care during the ground transport of CCATT patients. Current methods of documenting care provided during CCATT missions are limited, reflecting the constraints on resources and time. No aggregate data are available that describe the patient, equipment/supply, and oxygen problems during CCATT ground transport.

Purpose
To identify the problems experienced during the ground transport of CCATT patients and to relate factors that may be associated with the problems.

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