JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s (UMMC) AirCare officially launched its new fixed-wing service.
Officials said AirCare 5 is now operational and available to transport patients who need specialized care over longer distances across Mississippi and the surrounding region. Based in Jackson, the Pilatus PC-12 becomes AirCare’s fifth aircraft and its first fixed-wing aircraft.
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For patients in Mississippi’s rural and community hospitals, access to specialized trauma, stroke, transplant, neonatal, burn or cardiac care can require traveling significant distances. Officials said AirCare 5 will provide UMMC and its partner hospitals with another option for safely and efficiently transporting patients when the care they need is not available locally.
Guardian Flight, part of the Global Medical Response (GMR) family of air medical services, provides UMMC with the aircraft, pilot and aviation operations for AirCare 5. UMMC will provide medical direction and staffing support for the clinical crews on board.
“Often, we see patients who need access to a higher level of specialized care, and distance can become a real operational barrier,” said Jeremy Benson, director of the Mississippi Center for Emergency Services and program director for AirCare. “This fixed-wing asset helps us bridge that gap. It gives AirCare the ability to reach farther, support our partner hospitals more effectively and bring patients to the right level of care in a safe, timely and efficient manner.”…