About Doctor Heli
For patients with serious conditions such as those injured in traffic accidents, heart disease, or brain disease, whether they survive or suffer any aftereffects depends on how quickly appropriate initial treatment can be started.
A doctor helicopter is a helicopter designed specifically for emergency medical care. It is equipped with medical equipment and medicines, and can quickly transport emergency medical doctors and nurses to the scene of an emergency, allowing them to begin treatment immediately. It can also transport patients to advanced medical institutions in a short time, even from long distances where it would take a long time to transport them by ambulance.
For example, in Yugawara, in the westernmost part of Kanagawa Prefecture, transport time by ambulance is about an hour, but by doctor helicopter it is reduced to just under 10 minutes.
Our hospital began operating the helicopter as a trial project run by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for one year and six months from 1999. In 2002, it was launched as part of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's "Doctor Helicopter Introduction Promotion Project," which continues to this day.
Doctor helicopter operations
Doctor helicopters are small aircraft that can take off and land in tight spaces, and our hospital mainly uses BK117C-2 aircraft (manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries).
The helicopter is equipped with an electrocardiogram monitor, medical defibrillator, echocardiogram, medical oxygen, etc., and is capable of transporting patients on stretchers. The helicopter is operated by a private airline with extensive flight experience.
Doctor helicopter dispatch process
The doctor helicopter is dispatched at the request of the fire department headquarters, so the general public cannot request it directly.
Once a doctor at our hospital's Emergency Medical Center determines that it is appropriate to dispatch the helicopter, it takes off within about five minutes, heads to a temporary heliport (rendezvous point) secured in each city, town, or village, meets up with the ambulance carrying the patient, and immediately begins initial treatment.The patient is then transported to our hospital or another emergency medical center.
Doctor helicopter operating hours
| March to September | 8:30 to 17:30 |
| October | 8:30 to 16:30 |
| November to January | 8:30 to 16:00 |
| February | 8:30 to 16:30 |
Doctor helicopter operation range
-
All of Kanagawa Prefecture
-
Part of Shizuoka Prefecture *
-
Part of Yamanashi Prefecture *
-
We have concluded mutual cooperation agreements for doctor helicopters with Shizuoka Prefecture and Yamanashi Prefecture.
Doctor helicopter operation record
| year | number |
| 2023年度 | 171 items |
| 2022年度 | 170 items |
| 2021年度 | 171 items |