Dear Andrew
I understand what you are saying, but the policy makers tend not to agree with you (or I, about spending money wisely). Like it or not the government are putting in huge amounts of cash into CHD - motorbikes, Response cars, prehospital thrombolytics etc are all coming from the same melting pot to get lytics into MI patiens early. I just wonder if all this time, effort and money is being realsied as actual intervention on the streets and wonder if there isn't possibly a better way to do things?
Yes helicopters are expensive. I used to be on the Sussex helicopter and the cost was about £1,000 per hour - if memory serves me well.
Two thoughts on costs for helicopters.
1. Is £1,000 for a helicopter trip that much more expensive than £700-800 for single shot lytics when outcomes for patients that we could include into the PTCA programme probably far outweigh the numbers we could fit into prehospital fibrinolytic programmes.
2. A bird on the ground, not being used is more costly than one flying missions. I am sure it is easier to justify helicopters if there is specific benefit to patient outcomes.
The helicopter idea was just that... an idea. I am not suggesting we change our policy to that end just do a bit of lateral thinking on the other potential treatments for MI's
your thoughts on a postcard.
Mike
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