Investigating the barriers to air medical services in accidents and disasters in Iran and suggesting solutions: a qualitative study

Today, air medical services play a key part in providing emergency medical services in accidents and disasters in many countries, including Iran. The present study aims to investigate the barriers to air medical services in accidents and disasters in Iran and suggest solutions to them.

Analysis of the qualitative data resulted in extraction of 84 codes, which were classified into 13 subcategories and eventually into four themes, namely planning, management of resources, updating procedures, and empowerment of human resources. The findings also underscored the role of general policies, safety of flights and the scene of the accident, the cost and length of arriving at the scene of the accident, training programs designed to enhance the personnel’s preparation, and management of disasters and accidents. Senior medical emergency services managers can use the findings of the present study to identify the challenges which pre-hospital emergency care personnel are faced to air medical services in accidents and disasters and take the necessary measures to eliminate them toward improving the quality of pre-hospital care in air medical services in accidents and disasters.