Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-00/13

Title and Subtitle: The evaluation of in-flight medical care aboard selected U.S. air carriers: 1996 to 1997

Report Date: April 2000

Authors: DeJohn, C.A., V'ronneau, S.J.H., Wolbrink, A.M., and Larcher, J.G.

Abstract: Medical care in-flight and the FAA-mandated medical kit have been studied for many years. This study includes a detailed correlation between in-flight medical care, patient response in-flight, and post-flight follow-up, in an effort to evaluate in-flight medical care delivery on US airlines and re-evaluate the FAA-mandated in-flight medical kit. A survey of five US domestic air carriers from October 1, 1996, to September 30, 1997, showed 1132 in-flight medical incidents. These airlines accounted for approximately 22% of scheduled US domestic enplanements during the period.

There was good overall agreement between in-flight and post-flight diagnoses (70% of cases), and passenger condition improved in a majority of cases (60%), suggesting that in-flight diagnoses were generally accurate and treatment was appropriate. Results indicated that bronchodilator inhalers, oral antihistamines, and non-narcotic analgesics, all of which were obtained from other passengers, were used frequently enough to support a suggestion to include them in the medical kit.

Key Words: In-Flight Medical Emergencies, In-Flight Fatalities, In-Flight Medical Care, Medical Flight Diversions, In-Flight Medical Kit

No. of Pages: 26