The AdventHealth West Florida Division recently launched AdventHealth AirStar 1, a medical helicopter set to redefine the landscape of patient transfers within the Tampa Bay region.
AdventHealth AirStar 1 is a significant investment and commitment by AdventHealth to enhance the efficiency and safety of hospital-to-hospital transfers, minimizing delays in critical care transport.
This state-of-the-art twin-engine Airbus H135 P3H is stationed at Lakeland Linder International Airport, strategically positioned to serve AdventHealth facilities throughout West and Central Florida.
“AdventHealth AirStar 1 marks a pivotal moment in our commitment to delivering high-quality, whole-person care,” said David Ottati, president and CEO of the AdventHealth West Florida Division. “This innovative addition to our emergency response fleet will not only elevate clinical outcomes but provide physicians with a more efficient and safer way to transfer patients swiftly between medical facilities.”
AdventHealth AirStar 1 is operated by a team of 12 highly trained medical professionals, including registered flight nurses and certified flight paramedics. As specialists in aviation medicine, these professionals undergo extensive flight safety training to ensure the best patient care during transfers.
Dr. Fredrick Yonteck, a board-certified emergency medicine physician, serves as medical director of the flight program. Dr. Michael Longley, the chief medical officer of AdventHealth North Pinellas, oversees the division’s patient transfer center.
“This state-of-the-art medical helicopter will substantially cut down transfer times from as far away as Sebring to our tertiary medical center, AdventHealth Tampa,” Longley said. “Instead of enduring a lengthy ambulance journey, which could take up to three hours, patients will now experience a rapid transfer of less than 40 minutes in what is essentially a flying Intensive Care Unit. AdventHealth AirStar 1 is a game-changer in emergency care, ensuring swift and efficient transport, ultimately saving critical time for patients in need.”
The aircraft is now operational 24/7, 365 days a year, equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation and safety features to guarantee the highest standards of medical transport. In addition to helping with hospital transfers, AirStar 1 is also on standby for community 911 responses, providing rapid medical assistance for trauma, stroke and cardiac alert patients across multiple surrounding counties.
The West Florida Division of AdventHealth cares for more than 93,000 inpatients, 675,000 outpatients and over 400,000 ER patients each year and has over 2,300 licensed beds in 12 hospitals and one long-term acute care hospital with more than 15,000 staff members across Tampa Bay, Ocala and Heartland regions.
AdventHealth AirStar 1 joins an extensive EMS fleet, which encompasses 21 ambulances, including two dedicated bariatric ambulances, reinforcing AdventHealth’s commitment to comprehensive and specialized patient care.
