Vim & Vigor - Summer 2012 - St. Anthony - (Page 50)

One Summer’s Day I BY CARLA CARWILE n the Rockies, the sight of a brilliant orange helicopter in the sky says lifesaving care is on the way. But along with the ﬁve Lifeguard helicopters, the Flight For Life Colorado ﬂeet includes three Terra Critical Care “mobile ICU” ground ambulances, turbo-prop ﬁ xed-wing planes, and a recently acquired Learjet for longer ﬂights. HOW FLIGHT FOR LIFE COLORADO MADE A DIFFERENCE ON A DAY IN THE LIFE “We’re the Best Part of Your Worst Day,” reads the sign posted in Flight For Life Colorado headquarters at St. Anthony Hospital. Founded at St. Anthony in 1972, this service was the ﬁrst hospital-based air ambulance of its kind in the United States. It’s still a national model of excellence, providing lifesaving transport to thousands of Rocky Mountain residents and visitors each year. Ever wonder what a typical day is like for the people of Flight For Life and those they serve? This 24-hour snapshot of one day in July 2011 provides a powerful example: 12:13 a.m. Lifeguard 2 is requested by Granby Medical Center to transport a 65-year-old patient, suffering from a myocardial infarction, to St. Anthony Hospital for a higher level of cardiac care. 7:18 a.m. Terra 3 is dispatched to Avista Adventist Hospital to transport a 4-month-old patient, in respiratory failure, to Children’s Hospital Colorado for pediatric care. 7:59 a.m. Parkview Medical Center (Pueblo) requests that the adult ﬁ xed-wing transport a 75-year-old patient, with a perforated esophagus, to University of Colorado Medical Center for surgical care. 9:48 a.m. Terra 1 is requested by St. Anthony Hospital to transport a 22-month-old patient, suffering from respiratory distress, to Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center for pediatric medical care. At the Flight For Life Colorado Community Celebration: (from left) FFLC director Kathleen Mayer; flight R.N. Dale Spinks, Denver base; helicopter pilot Todd Slade, Denver base; clinical coordinator Stacy Hewett, R.N., Durango base; and flight paramedic Greg Engel, Denver base. 10:51 a.m. Lifeguard 4 is dispatched to Moffat, Colo., by Saguache Search and Rescue to locate a lost hiker near Willow Lake. 50 Vim & Vigor · SUM M ER 2 012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Summer 2012 - St. Anthony

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2012 - St. Anthony
Contents
Opening Thoughts
Community Connections
Stroke of Genius
A Full Spectrum of Caring
The Breakfast Club
Arthritis Answers
A TV Guide to Radiology
Take Aim
It Might NOT Be Cancer
Colin Firth
Step Up to the Plate
Life After Cancer
Get Dad to the Doc
Virtual Health
All Eyes on the Future
One Summer’s Day
A Family Affair
A New Home for Care
Measuring Up
Ask the Experts

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2012 - St. Anthony