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Memorial Hermann Life Flight serves as area’s only accredited air ambulance service.

Houston, Texas, June 16, 2004 -- For patients needing critical care, it means getting the best care as fast as possible to increase their chances of survival and recovery. Memorial Hermann Hospital’s Life Flight program is the only air ambulance program in the Houston area to earn full accreditation.

Serving a 150-mile radius of Houston, Memorial Hermann Life Flight transports more than 3,000 patients annually on 2,800 plus flights in rotor and fixed-wing. The fleet includes three helicopters and three fixed wing aircraft. Each helicopter is equipped with advanced emergency equipment and medication and is staffed by a licensed pilot, a paramedic, and a specialized flight nurse.

Since 2001, the Memorial Hermann Life Flight program has been approved by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems. “CAMTS sets the gold standard for air ambulance programs across the country,” says Tom Flanagan, Assistant Vice President of Emergency Services. “This accreditation is more than a pat on the back for our program. It demonstrates to our patients and their families that they are in excellent hands and can be confident that they will get expert help fast when they see our red Life Flight helicopter arrive.”

To be accredited, an air ambulance service must apply to CAMTS and pass a site survey as well as a strict review from the CAMTS board of directors. To maintain its accreditation, Life Flight must go through this process every three years.

“Out of 350 air ambulance programs in the country, only 100 receive this accreditation,” says CAMTS Executive Director Eileen Frazer. “It takes a lot of work and dedication to receive this level of approval, and Memorial Hermann Life Flight has earned it by making patient care and safety their top priority.”

More About Life Flight

Established in 1976 by James “Red” Duke, M.D., Memorial Hermann Life Flight is the first air ambulance service in Southeast Texas and one of the first in the nation. The program has earned many awards over the years including the 2001 Air Medical Service Award from the Texas Department of Health’s Bureau of Emergency Management, the Air Medical Safety Award from American Eurocopter, and countless certificates of appreciation from Houston area EMS agencies and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency.

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