Consultation Processes With Helicopter Emergency Medical Service Physicians in Finnish Prehospital Emergency Care: The Paramedics’ Perspective

Objective The Finnish emergency medical services operates mainly with highly educated paramedic-staffed units. Helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) physicians alongside other physicians provide consultations to paramedics on the scene without the physician physically participating in the mission. We examined the Finnish paramedics’ views regarding the consultation processes involving HEMS physicians. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey study among paramedics (n = 200). Assessments of the performance of HEMS physicians and other physicians in the consultation process were analyzed descriptively. The effect of the physician being expressly part of the HEMS was analyzed with inductive content analysis. Results Overall, consultations with the HEMS physician were well received among paramedics, and the HEMS physicians received higher assessments than other physicians. The familiarity with the prehospital environment, limitations, and local possibilities was valued. Expertise is particularly valuable in challenging emergency medical services missions but unnecessary in many nonurgent missions. There is scope for improvement in the attitudes and technical fluency of the consultation processes of HEMS physicians. Conclusion Using HEMS physicians in prehospital consultations could be recommended. Further studies are still needed to ensure the efficacy and efficiency of the consultation process and explore the integration of video connections into current consultation practices.