Air ambulance base development for responding to traffic accidents in Iran

Background: Road Traffic accidents are one of the most common accidents killing ۱.۳۵ million people annually around the globe. Approximately ۸۶% of deaths occur from trauma before hospitalization. In such circumstances as a pre-hospital service, air ambulance can play an important role in accessing the patients and transferring them from the accident scene securing survival of patients. Objective: This study aimed to identify the affecting factors in-air ambulance response to traffic accident sites. Methods: This qualitative study conducted from November ۶, ۲۰۱۹ to April ۶, ۲۰۲۰, in which a semi-structured interview was carried out on ۱۷ participants. To analyze the data of this qualitative study, the Graneheim and Lundman method was used, and a conventional content analysis approach was employed. Results: The majority ۴۱% were in the age range of ۳۰-۴۰ years.  Individuals with a master's or doctoral degree made up ۷۰% of the participants. People with ۱۱-۲۰ years of work experience made up ۵۲% and ۵۸% of the participants were at the managerial level. Factors influencing the development of air ambulance bases in ۶ main categories, included resources and infrastructure, training of specialized personnel, indicators and standards, information and communication, safety and security, and management factors were studied. Conclusion: Based on the findings, infrastructure improvement and allocation of resources as well as training specialized forces can play an important role in developing air ambulance bases in Iran, Further research is needed to develop a measurement tool to evaluate the affecting factors before establishing air ambulance bases in Iran.