A helicopter carrying a critically ill patient from Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province arrives at Shanghai Ruijin Hospital on April 3. [Photo/Xinhua]

Zhoushan Hospital recently used a helicopter to transfer a critically ill patient to Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, local media reported on April 4. 

The patient suffered severe pancreatitis and needed to be sent to Shanghai for emergency treatment, which would mean a four-hour journey by ambulance and would put the patient's life at extreme risk. 

Zhoushan Hospital decided to use a helicopter, which required just 45 minutes to arrive at Shanghai Ruijin Hospital. 

"This is the first time that a helicopter has been used in Zhoushan to transfer a patient to a place outside Zhejiang province, and also marks the first success we've had in sending a local patient to Shanghai by air within 1 hour," said Li Shibo, director of the medical affairs department of Zhoushan Hospital. 

"Our hospital can now transfer patients to any hospital in Shanghai or Hangzhou by helicopter, or receive patients from the city's remote islands for emergency rescue. This is a huge benefit to the residents of our city," added Li. 

The helicopter used for this mission was 16 meters long and came equipped with six seats, two stretchers and a complete set of first-aid devices, just like a small ICU, according to pilot Xie Jian. 

It is owned by Shanghai Kingwing General Aviation Co, a partner of Zhoushan Hospital.

To accommodate the large size of the helicopter, a standby apron was used and all cars parked in it, more than 100, were cleared within 40 minutes by Zhoushan Hospital and the local traffic police, said Li. 

As an island city, Zhoushan faces challenges when it comes to the emergency rescue of local patients due to inconvenient transportation. The city has taken a series of measures in recent years to improve its first-aid services, such as setting up green channels and medical associations.