Cedars-Sinai Blog
Behind the Scenes: Cedars-Sinai Helipad
A trauma patient arriving at the Cedars-Sinai helipad.
When it comes to saving lives, every second matters.
For organ transplants and trauma patients, traffic and distance can eat up precious time once the clock starts ticking. That's where our helipad comes in.
Transplant
After an organ donor is identified, organs need to be removed from the donor and transplanted into the recipient within hours. And often, the donor and recipient aren't in the same hospital—they may not even be in the same city or state. Using helicopters means organs can come from further away and still get to the recipient in time to save a life.
Trauma
As a Level 1 trauma center, Cedars-Sinai is required to have a helipad ready 24 hours a day to receive severely injured patients arriving by helicopter.
"When someone sustains injuries that potentially pose a threat to life, rapid field treatment and rapid transport is essential," says Heidi Hotz, Trauma Program manager. "Trauma care is very time-sensitive—every minute counts."
