Benefis Hospitals two-phase flight program provides aero-medical transport in Montana and the Northwest.

The Mercy Flight helicopter program flies patients for fast transport from area hospitals to specialty care in Great Falls. Mercy Flight crews also respond on-site to bring patients from isolated areas or accident scenes to our Regional Emergency Center.

Flight Services Mercy Flight Aircraft

• KingAir 200 twin-engine turboprop, 1200 mile flight radius, cruising speed about 290 miles per hour.
• Eurocopter A-Star-B2, 200-mile flight radius, cruising speed about 150 miles per hour.

Flight teams for Mercy Flight are comprised of specifically trained staff to respond to the situation at hand:

• Adult/Pediatric Team – Trauma or medical emergency involving patients over the age of 1. Made up of an RN and a Medic.
• High-Risk Neonatal Team – Very premature or critically ill newborns or infants, Crew of 1 Neonatal RN and 1 Respiratory Terapist.
• High-Risk OB Team – Pregnant women whose life, or the lives of their fetuses – may be in danger, Crew of 1 Perinatal RN and 1 Paramedic.

Mercy Flight also flies a fixed-wing aircraft utilized for hospital-to-hospital transport. While most Mercy Flight fixed wing transports serve high-risk OB patients or mothers and critically ill neonates, Mercy Flight fixed wing may also transport critically ill adult and pediatric patients during weather conditions where helicopter flight is inadvisable, or when the helicpter is already in service.

Mercy Flight fixed wing also transports patients from around Montana to specialized services at Benefis Hospitals and sometimes carries patients from other states to Great Falls. On occasion, Mercy Flight fixed wing transports patients with severe trauma or burns to regional centers in Salt Lake City or Seattle.

Because of its larger size, Mercy Flight fixed wing can carry a larger team, which may include a physician, and, because of fixed-wing flight characteristics, provides a quieter and smoother flight for its longer range.

Benefis Flight Program services are usually accessed by emergency dispatchers such as your local Police, Fire or Sheriff departments. Members of the public should first call these dispatchers, who are usually available by calling 9-1-1, or your local emergency number. Otherwise, Mercy Flight is at 800.972.4000.

If you have any questions about Benefis Hospitals or this website, please email us. We want to hear from you!