A Risk-Based Approach to Provision of Medical Services at Remote Sites

Abstract

To develop a risk assessment tool for measuring the level of medical services required at remote sites during a medical emergency. At Chevron Australia, in addition to on-site clinical resources, Medivac and Medical Support Procedures provide rotary wing and fixed wing medical evacuation from our sites when required. According to definitions prescribed by the Institute of Remote Healthcare (IRHC) 2013, all of Chevron Australia's operating environments are considered "remote" or "extreme remote" locations. "Critically" ill patients are defined as those patients who are at high risk for actual of potential life-threatening health problems, due to either illness of injury. Importantly, these critically ill patients require expedient medical treatment within the first hour after presentation to enable the greatest opportunity of survival. Lifesaving medical interventions due to workplace injury are rarely required on our sites, however, emergency medical events representing a risk to life have occurred, e.g. onset of angina, stroke etc. Such events require appropriately trained personnel, medical equipment and consumables as well as appropriate infrastructure and procedures to achieve the best possible outcome for the patient. To ensure the best medical response is deployed, a risk-based guideline for provision of medical services has been developed, which provides a structured approach to determining level of medical service required. The risk-based guideline has been developed alongside the learnings from previous operational reviews to maximise effectiveness. The Risk Assessment Tool will be presented.