Boston MedFlight is committed to a proactive, systems-focused, organization wide performance improvement process. We encourage an outcome driven approach with emphasis on the examination of evidence as a means of improvement. We are committed to the development of an improvement-focused culture that encourages participation by all within the organization and by everyone that utilizes the services of Boston MedFlight. We seek to foster a critical care system that minimizes risk, mitigates error, and creates performance that excels. Performance Improvement involves the collaboration of all members of the organization including, critical care transport personnel, communication technicians, pilots, administrative staff, clinical and operational leadership and the consortium of facilities that support Boston MedFlight.

While our core values include a continuous effort to improve every aspect of our performance, we specifically report over sixty quality measures that evaluate each aspect of the organization: utilization, performance, vehicle operations, communications, finance, information technology, infection control, safety, customer service, and clinical performance.

Thomas SH, Orf J, Peterson C, Wedel SK. Frequency and Costs of Laboratory and Radiograph Repetition in Trauma Patients Undergoing Interfacility Transfer. American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2000; 2: 156-158.

Kociszewski C, Thomas SH, Harrison T, Wedel SK: Etomidate versus succinylcholine for intubation in an air medical setting. American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2000; 18 (7): 757-763.

Orf J, Thomas SH, Ahmed W, Wiebe L, Chamberlin P, Wedel SK, Houck C: Appropriateness of endotracheal tube size and insertion depth in children undergoing air medical transport. Pediatric Emergency Care. 2000; 16 (5): 321-327.

Thomas SH, Harrison T, Wedel SK, Thomas D: Helicopter Emergency Medical Services Role in Disaster Operations. Prehospital Emergency Care, 4: 338-343, 2001.

Wood S: Cold Complications, Assessment & management of hypothermic patients. JEMS. 2:69-79, 2001.

Thomas SH, Wedel SK, Wayne M. Oxygenation, Ventilation and Monitoring. Prehospital Trauma Care 2001; 7.

Thomas SH, Orf J, Wedel SK, Conn A: Hyperventilation in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients: Inconsistency between Consensus Guidelines. The Journal of Trauma Injury, Infection and Critical Care. 52 (1): 47-53, 2002.

Thomas SH, Harrison TH, Buras W, Ahmed W, Cheema F, Wedel SK: Helicopter Transport and Blunt Trauma Mortality: A Multicenter Trial. The Journal of Trauma Injury, Infection and Critical Care. 52 (1): 136-145, 2002.

Thomas SH, Kociszewski C, Schwamm L, Wedel SK: The Evolving Role of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services In The Transfer Of Stroke Patients To Specialized Centers. Prehospital Emergency Care 2002; 6 (2): 210.

Thomas SH, Cheema F, Cumming M, Wedel SK, Thomson D: Nontrauma Helicopter Emergency Medical Services Transport: Annotated Review of Selected Outcomes-Related Literature. Prehospital Emergency Care 2002; 6 (2): 242.

Thomas SH, Cheema F, Cumming M, Wedel SK, Thomson D. Trauma Helicopter EMS transport: Annotated review of selected outcomes-related literature. Prehospital Emergency Care 2002; 6 (3):359.

Thomas SH, Williams K, Claypool D. Medical Director for Air Medical Transport Programs. [Position paper for the National Association of EMS Physicians] Prehospital Emergency Care 2002; 6 (4):455-457.

Thomas SH, Williams K: Flight Physician Training Program – Core Content. Prehospital Emergency Care, 2002; 6 (4): 458-460.

Koppenberg J, Briggs SM, Weel SK, Conn A. Emergency Medical Service. Notfall & Rettungsmedizin. 2002; 5: 598-605.

Wood S, Vrahas M, Wedel SK: Femur fracture with traction splints in multisystem trauma patients. Prehospital Emergency Care, 2003;7 (2): 241-243.

Shapiro NI, Kociszewski C, Harrison T, Chang YC, Wedel SK, Thomas SH. Isolated prehospital hypotension following traumatic injuries: A predictor of mortality? J Emerg Med 2003; 25: 175-179.

Thomas SH, Biddinger P. Helicopter EMS and trauma outcomes. [solicited editorial] Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology; 2003; 16: 153-158.

Thomson D, Thomas SH. Guidelines for air medical dispatch. [Position paper for the National Association of EMS Physicians] Prehosp Emerg Care 2003; 7: 265-271.

Thomas SH. Helicopter EMS transport: Annotated review of outcomes-related literature 2000-2003. Prehosp Emerg Care 2004; 8: 322-333.

Harrison T, Thomas SH, Wedel SK. Success Rates of Pediatric Intubation by a Non-Physician Staffed Critical Care Transport Service. Pediatric Emerg Care, 2004; 20: 101-107.

Thomas SH, Winsor G, Pang PS, Driscoll K, Parry BA. Use of a radial artery compression device for noninvasive, near-continuous blood pressure monitoring in the E.D. Am J Emerg Med 2004; 22: 474-478.

Thomas F, Robinson K, Judge T, Eastlee C, Frazer E, Thomas SH, et al. The 2003 Air Medical Congress: Findings and recommendations. Air Med J 2004; 23: 20-36.

Thomas SH: Helicopter Emergency Medical Transport Outcomes Literature: Annotated Review of Articles Published 2000-2003. Prehospital Emergency Care, July/September 2004; 8 (3): 322-334.

Thomas SH, Winsor G, Pang P, Wedel SK, Parry B: Near-Continuous, Noninvasive Blood Pressure Monitoring In The Out-Of-Hospital Setting. Prehospital Emergency Care, January/March 2005; 9 (1): 68-72.

Thomas SH, Rago O, Harrison T, Biddinger P, Wedel SK: Fentanyl Trauma Analgesia Use in Air Medical Scene Transports. Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2005; 29 (2): 179-187.

Thomas SH, Shwamm LH, Lev MH: Case 16-2006: A 72-Year-Old Woman Admitted to the Emergency Department because of a Sudden Change in Mental Status. The New England Journal of Medicine, 2006; 354: 2263-71.

Frakes MA, Lord WR, Kociszewski C, Wedel SK: Efficacy of fentanyl analgesia for trauma in critical care transport. American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2006; 24(3)286-9.