Parkview Regional Medical Center is now open. All critical care units and many specialty care departments have moved from Parkview Hospital Randallia to the new regional medical center. Included in this move are medical transportation services, via a Parkview Samaritan helicopter and Mobile ICU, which will be dispatched from the new regional medical center, effective as of that date.
Transportation by Parkview Samaritan will be available from Parkview Hospital Randallia. Many other medical services will also continue to be provided at Parkview Hospital Randallia. If you are uncertain about the location of a service for an appointment or scheduled procedure, call the switchboard at (260) 266-1000 or Parkview Health Scheduling at (877) 225-5747 or (260) 373-8900. A phone representative will assist you. It is recommended that you call at least 24 hours before your intended arrival.
A Higher Level of Care
When the unthinkable happens, the Parkview Samaritan Medical Transport crew responds with speed and expert emergency care. Operating from bases in Fort Wayne, Ind. and Rochester, Ind., Parkview’s two Samaritan medical helicopters take flight in an average of 5.6 minutes from the time dispatch receives a call. Based in Fort Wayne, the Mobile ICU provides ground transportation as another option for critically ill patients.
Since the Samaritan flight program began in 1989, crew members have flown more than 17,000 patients. Although their primary service area is the 100-mile radius area around Fort Wayne and Rochester, the helicopters are equipped to fly 200 miles one way. The crew aboard each flight includes a pilot, nurse and paramedic. The aircraft is configured to transport two critical adult patients.
The Mobile ICU was introduced in the fall 2010 to complement medical flight service. The Mobile ICU is staffed 24/7 with a critical care registered nurse, paramedic and EMT driver. This highly skilled crew has the same advanced training as the Samaritan flight team.
The Parkview medical flight and ground transport program provides a vital service to individuals who are critically injured. Nearly 50 percent of Samaritan’s calls are trauma related, in which patients are flown to Parkview Trauma Centers, the region’s first verified level II adult and pediatric trauma centers. To support the trauma program, Parkview has medical specialists available around the clock.
Time is precious during an emergency. Because of the affiliation between Samaritan and the Parkview Trauma Centers, transportation and medical care can often begin sooner for critically ill patients who are transported to Parkview Regional Medical Center.
Parkview Samaritan works in conjunction with numerous specialized services, including Parkview’s Verified Level II Adult & Pediatric Trauma Center, certified Parkview Stanley Wissman Stroke Center, accredited brain injury program and designated Chest Pain Center.
Samaritan Specifications
Model: N2-Dauphin helicopters with twin jet engines
Flight speed: Average 180 mph
Fuel: Two fuel tanks — can fly up to three hours on each tank
Patient Capacity: Two adult patients or three small children
Crew: One pilot, one nurse and one paramedic accompany each flight
Service area: 100-mile radius from Fort Wayne and Rochester, Indiana covering northern Indiana and northwestern Ohio
IFR Certification: Samaritan is the only Instrumental Flight Rules (IFR) certified flight program in Indiana, meaning that Samaritan can fly by instrument guides in weather that might prevent others from flying