Medical Legal Implications When Providing Emergency Care on a Commercial Flight

INTRODUCTION: U.S. airlines often request a healthcare professional to volunteer to assist an ill passenger. Litigation from a Good Samaritans care of an in-flight medical emergency (IME) is considered improbable. The 1998 Aviation Medical Assistance Act (AMAA) encourages health care professionals to volunteer with indemnity for standard and good medical care. It does not offer legal or financial assistance. Our review explored the legal support malpractice companies and U.S. airlines provide if litigation is initiated for IME care. Malpractice insurance policies can differ on IME coverage. We found most private practice physicians policies include IME. Medical institutions may have policies restricting their physicians coverage to the institutions location. Those without malpractice coverage will need to retain and pay for a legal defense to demonstrate no gross negligence and no willful misconduct. The physicians, airline crews, and on-ground IME documentation support should be retained by the Good Samaritan especially for a pediatric or adolescent ill passenger. U.S. airlines consider a Good Samaritan medical volunteer as a passenger and do not extend legal assistance. This contrasts with some foreign airlines that do provide liability protection. Knowledge of the malpractice policy IME coverage is essential prior to traveling by air. After completing care for an ill passenger, physicians should generate their medical documentation and request the IME documentation generated by the airline and on-ground medical expert. We also believe U.S. airlines should assume responsibility to provide legal assistance to a Good Samaritan physician in the event of IME litigation.de Caprariis PJ, Di Maio A. Medical legal implications when providing emergency care on a commercial flight. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2021; 92(7):588592.

Burnout syndrome of airline crews during crisis and Covid 19 in the world and Turkey

Airline employees also carry the risk of losing their jobs in times of crisis that closely affect the aviation industry. Therefore, it is important to investigate the burnout syndrome experienced by airline workers in times of crisis. This study aims to evaluate the burnout syndrome of airlines. Findings show that airline flight crews who experienced high levels of burnout syndrome during normal periods experienced less burnout syndrome during crisis periods. It is understood that the reason for this situation is that they cling to their jobs more tightly against the risk of losing their jobs.

Malariafälle bei Airline-Crews: Kasuistiken und Konsequenzen für die Prophylaxe

ZUSAMMENFASSUNGBei Reisen in Tropenregionen sind neben Touristen auch Piloten und Flugbegleiter weltweit operierender Fluggesellschaften einem Malariarisiko ausgesetzt. Insgesamt gilt das Risiko als gering, allerdings fehlen genaue Zahlen zur Anzahl von Crewerkrankungen 1, 2. Dar es Salaam ist die einzige malariagefährdete Afrikadestination von Swiss International Air Lines. Von 2002–2016 sind keine Malariaerkrankungen bei Crewmitgliedern vorgekommen. Im Anschluss an die große Regenzeit 2017 erkrankten insgesamt 9 Crewmitglieder an Malaria. Dies entspricht 2,6 % der im Jahr 2017 in der Schweiz vom Bundesamt für Gesundheit registrierten, importierten 340 Malariafälle 3. Diese außergewöhnliche Häufung von Malariafällen bei der Crew veranlasste Swiss Medical Services zu einer intensivierten internen Risikokommunikation. Zusätzlich wurde den Crews mit Destination Dar es Salaam neben den üblichen Mückenschutzmaßnahmen saisonal eine Malariaprophylaxe mit einer fixen Kombination aus Atovaquon und Proguanil (Malarone® und zahlreiche Generika) empfohlen.