Vanderbilt LifeFlight is a CAMTS (Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems) accredited organization. CAMTS is the only accreditation agency to offer worldwide standards for ground, helicopter and fixed wing medical transport systems.

Accreditation is a voluntary process through which a medical transport service (rotor wing/ fixed wing or ground critical care, interfacility) is certified by the Commission as substantially meeting accreditation standards.

CAMTS accreditation standards are the criteria used to measure a program's level of quality. In order to obtain accreditation, a medical transport service must be in substantial compliance with the standards.

Substantial compliance is defined as follows: "A medical transport system demonstrates overall quality of service consistent with the essential elements of accreditation standards and the professional judgment of the Board. The service demonstrates a steady balance in all dynamic components which comprise their specific program." Vanderbilt LifeFlight is in substantial compliance with CAMTS standards.

CAMTS is similar to the strict standards and assessment of hospitals by the Joint Commission of Accredited Healthcare Organizations, CAMTS offers transport programs a vehicle to demonstrate high performance in the areas of quality and safety.

Vanderbilt LifeFlight is the first flight program in TN to obtain CAMTS accreditation. LifeFlight joins a select group of just over 100 programs around the world that have attained accreditation.

In LifeFlight’s 21-year history, more than 25,000 patients have been transported to hospitals in Nashville and destinations around the world. It is Tennessee’s largest not-for-profit air medical transport program, providing service via four helicopters and one fixed wing aircraft. It has maintained an accident free safety record since the program’s inception in 1984.

For more information regarding CAMTS and accreditation go to www.camts.org or www.aams.org

Adapted from CAMTS and AAMS websites