Iowa City, Iowa — (RI) — The Emergency Department at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City is now using an airplane to transport patients who need specialized care for serious injuries or illnesses.
The chair of the Emergency Department Andrew Nugent, says the airplane gives them more range.
Doctor Nugent says the propeller driven airplane has a range of some 700 miles, and holds a bigger payload.
He says the airplane costs about the same as the helicopter to operate, but it gives them an option for different types of patient.
Nugent says they expect the plane to be busy, and not just with flights to Iowa City.
He says they also have plenty of need at the U of I.
The black and gold colored hospital plane joins the helicopter service which began transporting patients in 1979.
