Communication between Boston MedFlight and outside agencies is critical in the coordination of air and ground transport of patients. Boston MedFlight has a dedicated Communications Center staffed with highly skilled Communications Specialists assisting with the overall management of a transport, from initial request to completion of the mission.

Boston MedFlight's Communication Center is a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week operation fully staffed with certified EMT's (Communication Specialists). Communication Specialists triage the initial request for patient transport by determining the appropriate vehicle, for example, rotor wing, fixed wing or ground critical care services. The Communication Specialists provide a continuous and consistent link for the sending facility, during the entire patient transport. In addition, they provide assistance with bed acceptance for undesignated patients (ED or scene) and telephone conferencing of sending facility and receiving care providers, in order to expedite patient transports. Our Communication Specialists serve as a resource for other air medical and critical care transport services operating in our geographical area by coordinating helipads, security, and confirming the final destination of a patient. Amongst their many responsibilities, the Communication Specialists monitor local weather and other air medical transport programs operating within our region, while maintaining constant communications with their home primary communication centers.

Training for a Communications Specialist position consists of a competency based 8-10 week comprehensive orientation program, in which the orientee is paired with a preceptor. During the orientation process, aircraft operations, safety, communications equipment and resource utilization objectives are met. Communications Specialists are encouraged to participate in patient transports, cross train with other flight programs, and make a site visit to the Hanscom Flight Control Tower.

In addition, communications specialists are trained in the use of an online, "live" weather tracking system used to relay weather information to pilots in command and monitor a satellite flight tracking program which tracks the current position, altitude and speed of our aircraft. Within the first year of employment, all communications specialists complete the National Association of Air Medical Communications Specialists (NAACS) program and Certified Flight Communication (CFC) course.

In conjunction with the Boston consortium hospitals, Boston MedFlight has developed a roster system for patient transport to and from appropriate institutions. Eligible patients include those flown from the scene and patients in need of an interfacility transport originating from the sending hospital emergency department, in which an accepting physician has not been identified. Once our Communications Center has identified the need for utilization of the undesignated roster system, the Communications Specialist will notify the accepting physician and facilitate sending physician to receiving physician contact. In the case of a scene transport, our Communications Specialist will initially notify the appropriate receiving hospital of a scene transport. Subsequent patient information is transmitted to the receiving hospital through Boston CMED (Centralized Emergency Medical Dispatch).

Efforts to develop pre-designated landing zone assignments among town fire departments and Boston MedFlight personnel have resulted in the identification of specific landing zones which serve as a guide to coordinate the transfer of patients from the scene in a timely and safe manner. Communications Specialists continuously update the landing zone database information, as landing zones can change for reasons such as construction projects, suitability, and hazards.