Mak C1, Pidgeon T1, Aston B1, Glasheen J1
1LifeFlight
Biography:
I am an emergency medicine doctor with interests in research
and quality improvement, paediatric emergency and critical care, and pre-hospital medicine. I am driven by a passion to harness impactful and attainable clinical research to enhance patient care and staff wellbeing. I believe in making knowledge more accessible and relevant through open forums, practical resources and engaging podcasts to empower healthcare teams in their daily work.
Originally from London, I moved to Queensland to seek sunnier shores, cutting edge medicine and a taste of adventure.
Abstract
Aims and objectives
High flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) therapy is becoming increasingly prevalent across healthcare settings, including in the pre-hospital and retrieval environment. Despite this, there is little evidence in its use. LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine (LRM) is the largest aeromedical service in the Southern Hemisphere, carrying out over 8000 missions annually in a mixture of fixed and rotary assets as well as road transport. HFNO is a well-established therapy within LRM over the past decade, and with the largest dataset in Australia it provides a rich source of information to identify indications, complications and areas for improvement in this area.
Our aim is to conduct a large-scale descriptor of practice within LRM. This will form part of a larger project to explore the benefits and indications of HFNO in this patient cohort. This will serve as a benchmark and guidance for other retrieval services as well as emergency and critical care services generally.
Method and design
A review of de-identified electronic records of patients who received HFNO during their retrieval between 2018-2025 was conducted. 1,607 patients were included, investigating operational and clinical characteristics.
Results and conclusion
Results include a breakdown of clinical indications for HFNO, distribution of work across Queensland include asset type, age distribution and typical HFNO inspired oxygen fractions and flow rates.