U.S. Surgeon General Steps in to Help Woman Having Medical Emergency on Plane
(JACKSON, Miss.) — When the call went out for a doctor on board, the U.S. surgeon general says he gladly stepped in to help with a medical emergency on a commercial flight.
Dr. Jerome Adams, an anesthesiologist, said he assisted someone on a Delta Air Lines jet as he prepared to fly Wednesday to Jackson, Mississippi.
Adams tweeted that a call went out requesting a doctor.
A person lost consciousness when the plane was on the ground in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Adams and two nurses responded, said Kate Migliaccio-Grabill, a Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman.
On my @Delta flight to Jackson, Mississippi (by way of Atlanta), and they asked if there was a Doctor on board to help with a medical emergency- why yes- yes there was. Patient doing well and like a good #USPHS officer, I was glad to be able to assist! pic.twitter.com/N9HdY3py6G
— U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) May 16, 2018
Yesterday I had the good fortune to be part of a TEAM that responded to a medical emergency on a @Delta flight. The patient did well, and I’m overwhelmed at how much attention my tweet about it... https://t.co/iTTGxZ3fTO
— U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) May 17, 2018
Hello,
Wow! We certainly thank you for volunteering as well as your service. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. *HRO— Delta (@Delta) May 16, 2018
The patient woke up, and Adams determined it was best for the plane to return to the gate and for the patient to go to a hospital for further evaluation. Adams also called the patient’s spouse to explain what happened, the spokeswoman said.
Adams tweeted that the patient was doing well and, like a good public health service doctor, he was happy to assist.
Adams was on a flight from Fort Lauderdale to Atlanta to catch a connecting flight to Mississippi’s capital city, where he has public events Thursday, including a panel discussion on opioid abuse.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant tweeted back at the surgeon general: “Nice job, Dr. Adams!”