Dr Stolpe, chief flight surgeon and medical director of the biggest HEMS operator of Europe, Germany’s ADAC Air Rescue, will be in India for four days from April 19th – April 22nd, 2011 to support the urgent need to adopt HEMS in India.

Eurocopter, the world’s leading helicopter manufacturer, is pleased to announce the ‘India visit’ of world-renowned surgeon Dr Erwin Stolpe, a stalwart in the field of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS).

Dr Stolpe, chief flight surgeon and medical director of the biggest HEMS operator of Europe, Germany’s ADAC Air Rescue, will be in India for four days from April 19th – April 22nd, 2011 to support the urgent need to adopt HEMS in India. Dr Stolpe, who has been a guiding light in the area of global air medical services in Europe for operations as well as for rules and regulations, is one of the Board of Directors of the European HEMS and Air Ambulance Committee (EHAC) and member of the standardization committee (CEN). Dr Stolpe’s visit gains more significance as India is fast recognizing the growing need for a dedicated air medical service in a billion-plus nation.

“India urgently needs dedicated HEMS to cater to its large population spread across a vast region. Many of these places are far away from any modern medical facilities and time-critical patients cannot be treated in a medically reasonable time frame which would enable survival or at least a better outcome. The need of the hour is to step up investment in building a pan-India network & infrastructure to promote HEMS. I am looking forward to meeting the Indian stakeholders and sharing with them the huge difference and benefit that professional and dedicated HEMS can make to a country and its population,” said Dr Stolpe.

Dr Stolpe, who is also the chairman of the Scientific Committee of the Airmed World Congresses, will be focusing on the importance of having crucial medical services like HEMS, which can help save many lives, permanent disabilities, and years of medical treatments by acting within the ‘Golden Hour’. Dr Stolpe has been playing a crucial role at Eurocopter as the aeromedical consultant with the firm since 1988. Eurocopter is the market-leader in the HEMS segment with 75% of the last 10 years world deliveries in this sector.

Michael Rudolph, Head of HEMS segment, Eurocopter adds, “Today, HEMS is gaining more significance in emerging countries. India has evolved as a mature market especially for new age medical facilities. Hence, the improvement of the medical scene, including the implementation of Helicopter Air Ambulance Services starting with urban cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore will become one of the most demanding projects of the next decades. It’s a national challenge and responsibility that both the Governmental institutions and the private medical society must face.”

Eurocopter is the only helicopter manufacturer to offer helicopters which have been ‘designed’ specifically for HEMS, complete with large cabin, rear and side access for easier stretcher loading, protected tail rotor and the lowest noise signature in the world. Eurocopter helicopters are also the best-suited for high-altitude medical rescue missions. They have been part of many rescue missions across the globe on every different & difficult terrain, like that in Nepal, where last year six mountaineers were saved by a Eurocopter HEMS helicopter when they were trapped at an altitude of 6900m. Currently, Eurocopter’s EC135 is the global leader in Helicopter Emergency Medical Services and lends itself readily to perform all types of EMS and disaster management SAR missions.

Operators, helicopter manufacturer, and association are looking forward to support the implementation of HEMS in India by setting up a piloting project together with a consortium of governmental institutions, private Hospitals, local Investors, insurance companies or associations aiming at establishing a Helicopter Air Ambulance Service which could become the reference for HEMS in India. As a part of this endeavor, Eurocopter is eager to bring its entire international portfolio of HEMS to India and share its expertise to help usher in the next revolution in medical services.