Clinical and pre-hospital trauma care and retrieval services
SAAS MedSTAR provides rapid clinical and pre-hospital trauma care and retrieval services in South Australia, including a dedicated paediatric, neonatal and obstetric service—SAAS MedSTAR Kids.
MedSTAR also provides 24/7 clinical support and advice to country and metropolitan health services and SAAS clinicians.
Services also include emergency transport between hospitals, support in medical and surgical emergencies, disaster preparedness and response, and national and international aeromedical retrievals, repatriation and support.
MedSTAR also works closely with the SAAS Special Operations Team of highly trained rescue paramedics.
MedSTAR services
SAAS MedSTAR services include:
- A rapid, high-level clinical response for patients requiring critical care advice and transport
- Medical retrieval coordination and advice
- Support to rural health clinicians
- Transfers of critically ill and injured patients between the metropolitan specialist hospitals
- Emergency care and transport for children from birth to 16 years of age
- Medical response to mass casualty incidents and disasters
- Interstate transfer of patients, including organ transplant recipients and paediatric cardiac surgery patients
Retrieval transport
A range of transport options are used to retrieve patients including:
- emergency ambulances
- helicopters
- fixed wing aircraft (MedSTAR contracts the Royal Flying Doctor Service or jet charter)
- commercial flights
- commercial vehicles.
