When the Trauma Anesthesiologist-Intensivist Becomes the Patient

Duke university 👉🏻 university of Maryland When the Physician Becomes the Patient | VitalOne®️ 1-800-MedEvac In April 2025, a trauma anesthesiologist–intensivist — someone who has spent her career saving lives — suddenly became the patient herself after a devastating motorcycle accident. Dr. Melanie Hollidge is a Trauma Anesthesiologist-Intensivist at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, the primary adult trauma center for the University of Maryland Medical System, and a member of the elite GO TEAM with the Maryland State Police MedEvac Unit. But this time, she wasn’t on call. She was the call. Following the accident, Dr. Hollidge was airlifted by aircare to Duke Level I Trauma Center, where she was treated under the care of Dr. Paul Wischmeyer. Once stabilized, the goal was clear: to return Dr. Hollidge to University of Maryland Medical Center, under the leadership of Dr. Ron E. Samet and Thomas Scalea, at the very institution where she has devoted her career to caring for others. VitalOne®️ 1-800-MedEvac was activated to coordinate this complex inter-hospita7l transfer. A bed-to-bed, medically supervised critical care transport was executed by VitalOne®️’s expert paramedics, Yehuda Jacobs and Izzy Kornbluch, managing a high-acuity transfer while the patient remained on a chest tube, epidural drip, and multiple critical medications — ensuring seamless continuity of care throughout the journey. The VitalOne®️ MedEvac team coordinated ground transport in North Carolina via Priority Care Ambulance, followed by transport to Maryland with special thanks to Hatzalah of Baltimore. This critical transport was provided at absolutely no cost to the patient, made possible through VitalOne®️’s Insurance Advocacy Program. From complex inter-hospital transfers to life-saving medical air transport, VitalOne®️ delivers seamless, high-acuity medevac services worldwide. VitalOne®️ 1-800-MedEvac delivers. One call. One mission.