All I know about things is that when you are that person on the stretcher or in pain or fear for your life it's horrible and the ONLY thing you want is the quickest relief possible. You hear that things in bigger cities are different and better but I have been in bigger cities, I AM in Atlanta right now moving back to the Shoals and I feared Medical Care in the Shoals, UNTIL I saw medical care at Henry Memorial, south of Atlanta. I have Crohn's disease and I get blockages from time to time that are EXTREMELY painful. All times I went to the Shoals Hospitals, to the ER. they were not as quick as I liked but usually got me back to a doc within thirty minutes or so. Here in Atlanta, at Henry Memorial the QUICKEST I have ever gotten back, other than when I was transported by Ambulance, was THREE HOURS. Try enduring setting in an Emergency Room for Three Hours with either a Kidney Stone or Intestinal Blockage.
I"m glad to be returning to the Shoals myself. I still wonder about the quality of the doctors at times but I can say that Medical Care in Atlanta is or seems far Worse, as a patient, than anything i have ever received at the Shoals.
As for this situation Donna mentioned I just hope the patient was found to be stabilized and out of a critical condition that required immediate attention if that decision was made for if and only if that was the case (a miraculous turnaround) could I see delaying getting them to an ER. Like you thought if it was serious enough to call for Air Evac it does make you wonder why wait why not get to ECM then let the ER Doc make the call to Evac to Huntsville from ECM if needed. Then I'm not on the scene, I don't know the situation, and I'm not the one seeing the Stats of the Patient. When you are that patient though every minute is critical. Would be interesting to know more but I doubt any of us will unless a family member chimes in and enlightens us.