Continuing advancement of medical science and advent of new technologies have enabled efficient treatment of patients in severe hypothermia. The efficacy of therapeutic process of these patients is possible thanks to organisation of hypothermia treatment system, which encompasses both prehospital as well in-hospital care phases. Emergency medical system, which beside land ambulances includes also air rescue teams, provides medical life-saving capability as well as translocation with intensive care capacity to centres that ensure focused, specialised therapy.

Polish Medical Air Rescue, as a part of National Emergency Medical System, so as to aid successfully developing program of treatment of severe hypothermia has undertaken organisational and educational actions aiming at active participation of medical air rescue teams in saving hypothermic patients.

Medical air rescue teams possess equipment enabling direct invasive blood pressure and core temperature measurements what enables exact monitoring of hypothermic patients. Specialised thermometers for core temperature measurement in oesophagus constitute part of equipment of all rescue helicopters.

As a part of educational project, National Dispatch staff along with all members of medical personnel of Polish Medical Air Rescue received educational materials concerning hypothermia and extracorporeal treatment. Keeping in mind the possibility of further development of hypothermia treatment program into other areas of Poland, Medical Air Rescue plans to introduce training for medical personnel of all HEMS/EMS centres in Poland on this subject based upon currently introduced e-learning platform.

National Dispatch Office of Polish Medical Air Rescue actively participates in coordination of transportation of patients in severe hypothermia, both from place of incident as well as between medical institutions. Joint experience of Severe Hypothermia Treatment Centre in Kraków and Polish Medical Air Rescue shows that air transport may be the preferable method of translocation of patients in severe hypothermia. Speed, stability and capacity to monitor various aspects of patient's condition are among various advantages of medical helicopter. It is worth noting that despite the slowing of metabolism and prolonged tolerance to hypoxia among hypothermic patients, time of arrival at destination treatment centre remains critical condition for patient's survival chances, like in all other life threatening disorders.