New Medical Helicopter Begins Flying Out Of Penn Medicine Doylestown

DOYLESTOWN, PA — Locals may have noticed a new bird flying through the sky over at Penn Medicine Doylestown Health.

The familiar cherry and white Temple MedFlight helicopter has flown south to St. Mary Medical Center while a new bird - a blue and white PennSTAR helicopter - is now stationed on the campus of Doylestown Health poised to make critical care flights when needed.

Earlier this week, PennSTAR’s medical helicopter landed at its new home in Doylestown, according to the hospital's Facebook page. PennSTAR leadership and crew were on-site to answer questions while giving a close-up look at the aircraft's capabilities, the hospital reported.

The PennSTAR flight crew at Penn Medicine Doylestown Health. (Penn Medicine Doylestown Health)

The PennSTAR Flight Program provides critical care air and ground medical transportation to the tri-state area within a 100-mile radius of Penn Medicine, its home base. Three medical helicopters and two critical care ambulances currently provide rapid transport of critical care patients and on-scene services at the site of accidents and trauma-related incidents, the Facebook page said.

The PennSTAR helicopter stationed at Doylestown is larger, faster and more spacious than the previous model that served the area. "These helicopters were specifically designed for Medivac service, with the ability to operate safely in varied weather conditions, at night, or in controlled spaces," the hospital said.

Trinity Health Announces Air Medical Services Partnership

This week, Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic announced a new partnership with Temple Health and Air Methods to provide comprehensive air medical services in the Bucks County-Philadelphia region.

The collaboration between the two leading health care organizations - Trinity Health and Temple Health - and the nation’s top air medical service provider - Air Methods - is aimed at delivering faster, more coordinated emergency care, officials said.

The new joint air medical program, launched in July and based at St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown Township, is providing improved responses to emergency calls within the region.

“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to delivering high-quality, lifesaving care to every corner of our region,” says Andre Boyd, president and CEO of Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic. “By combining resources and expertise, we are creating a more connected emergency care network that ensures patients receive the critical interventions they need — wherever and whenever they need them.”

The Temple MedFlight at St. Mary Medical Center. (Trinity Health)

The joint air medical service, with critical care led by a dedicated flight crew from the Temple Transport Transport Team (T3) and aviation services provided by Air Methods, is operating an EC-135 medical transport helicopter that can travel anywhere within a 100-mile radius.

The service is available 24/7 and will provide rapid transport for critically ill or injured patients to the most appropriate medical facility, whether within either health system or beyond, as determined by clinical care teams, patients and/or patient family members.

“T3 has cared for more than 70,000 critically ill patients since its inception in 2002. This partnership, which includes a ground critical care team, will ensure patients throughout the community get coordinated and enhanced access to high-acuity treatment any time in any kind of weather,” says Abhinav Rastogi, MBA, MIS, executive vice president of Temple University Health System and president and CEO of Temple University Hospital.