Emergency Air Medical Program Adds Specialized Clinical Capability

AirLife Utah and Wyoming Life Flight bases can now transport patients with Impella devices

LEHI, UT, March 4, 2026 - Cardiac patients requiring Impella devices can now be transported between hospitals for specialized care by the emergency air medical teams with AirLife Utah in Lehi and Brigham City, and Wyoming Life Flight in Evanston. These critical care crews are trained to perform this delicate and highly specialized type of transport across northern Utah, Western Wyoming, and beyond.

An Impella device is a tiny pump inserted by a cardiologist via a catheter into the left ventricle of the heart. It is used when the heart is unable to pump enough blood due to a heart attack, heart failure, or during cardiac procedures such as valve replacements or angioplasty. This intervention reduces pressure on the heart and keeps blood flowing to vital organs.

"The ability to transport Impella patients by air will decrease their out of hospital time and get them to a higher level of care when the heart is needing the most support," said AirLife Utah Flight Nurse Dalton Boyles. "We are excited to add this capability to our team to help those most in need."

Cardiologists often place these devices within smaller hospitals, but they must rely on critical care transport teams to transfer patients to larger hospitals capable of providing more advanced cardiac treatment. The ability to fly these patients allows them to get the care they need more quickly when time is precious.

"Wyoming Life Flight clinicians are excited to expand our capabilities in caring for and transporting critically ill patients," said Flight Nurse Stacy Stokes. "Having the ability to transport patients who are in need of an Impella device is a critical care specialty. Our hope is to better serve the people in our community and give them peace of mind knowing that no matter how critical a patient is, they will be in the hands of a very capable and competent flight team."

AirLife Utah and Wyoming Life Flight are part of Air Methods, the nation's leading air medical service provider. All Air Methods clinicians have at least three years of experience in an emergency or intensive care setting before joining a flight crew, and they receive ongoing advanced training. Each aircraft is equipped as a flying ICU, carrying the medical equipment and medications needed to provide lifesaving care for trauma, cardiac, stroke, pediatric, neonatal, high-risk obstetrics, and other critical patients. They recently added a Zoll AutoPulse CPR device to their list of industry leading medical equipment, allowing for in-flight mechanical CPR. They also carry whole blood that can be administered in-flight for patients suffering from severe blood loss.

Air Methods is committed to providing air medical services to all members of the communities they serve and are in-network with most major health insurance providers for emergency air medical services. Additionally, their patient advocacy program works with all patients, regardless of insurance, to ensure affordability without the need for an air medical membership.