INCREASED FLIGHT SURGEON ROLE IN MILITARY AEROMEDICAL EVACUATION

Physicians were involved in the development of aeromedical evacuation (medevac) and flight surgeons flew as crewmembers on the first U.S. mi litary medevac flights. However, since World War II flight surgeons ha ve not been routinely assigned to operational medevac units. The aerom edical literature addressing the role of physicians in medevac is cont roversial. Recent contingencies involving the U.S. Air Force (USAF) ha ve required the augmentation of medevac units with flight surgeons. Re cent Changes in the European Theater: Beginning in 1992, the United St ates Air Forces Europe (USAFE) assigned three flight surgeons to the m edevac squadron. Between 2 February 1993 and 24 March 1994 USAFE moved 241 patients on 29 missions out of the former Yugoslavia-most of thes e missions had a flight surgeon on the crew. Because advance medical i nformation on the status of these patients is often nonexistent, the p resence of a physician on the crew proved life-saving in some instance s. In peacetime operations, there has been a recent trend in the Europ ean theater for the USAF to move more unstable patients. Observed Bene fits of Physicians in Medevac: Dedicated medevac flight surgeons have proven to have the specific experience and training to perform effecti vely in the role of in-flight medical attendant. In addition, they are effective in negotiating with referring physicians about the urgency of movement, required equipment, the need for medical attendants, etc. These flight surgeons also provide medical coverage of transiting pat ients in the Aeromedical Staging Flight (ASF), thus providing needed c ontinuity in the medevac system. Conclusion: Dedicated medevac flight surgeons fill a unique and valuable role in medevac systems. Agencies with medevac units should consider assigning flight surgeons to these units.