Record attendance at Oslo HEMS Conference

With insight, knowledge, and drive to improve prehospital critical care, over 400 colleagues from around the world gathered for the second-ever Oslo HEMS Conference.

Text: Marianne Wennesland. Photos: Jørgen Hauge Skogmo, Jon Tonning, Marianne Wennesland. Published: December 2025.

It was no coincident that Oslo HEMS Conference took place at Soria Moria – on a hill above the Norwegian capital and, oftentimes, the clouds: In Norwegian folklore Soria Moria is a castle in the sky symbolising the ultimate quest for the ideal future – a quest shared by its over 400 participants from 29 countries:

– Regardless of where in the world we work with prehospital critical care, we share one goal: To save more lives and quality of life. Joining forces is paramount to achieve that, says Hans Morten Lossius, Conference Chair and former Secretary general of the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation.

Helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), search and rescue, medical evacuation teams from the armed forces, and other emergency medical services were all represented at the conference, in addition to industry partners.

Hard to choose

The three-day event, which kicked off on December 1st, 2025, offered a range of lectures, debates, workshops, and networking opportunities. Some participants reportedly struggled to choose between parallel sessions. Marius Rehn, Scientific Committee Chair, Researcher and HEMS Physician, took that as good sign:

– We’re incredibly grateful that all the 60 speakers we asked said yes! We deliberately asked colleagues from different nationalities, professions, and stages of working life. They – and the wide range of topics – are all relevant in our complex line of work, he said.

High-flying: US Flight Nurse Megan Atkinson and Norwegian HEMS Crew Member Lasse Fossedal were hoisted off the conference grounds during an access to patient demonstration.

High-flying earl birds and long-distance travellers

With the 33-hour journey from New Zealand behind him, Ross Aitkin was in no doubt as to why he came:

– The scientific programme here had some topics that were pertinent to our organization such as point of care ultrasound, intubating stretch patients, and AI which can aid decision making on the scene for different types of clinical crews, said the Clinical Operations Manager for Northern Recue Helicopters, NZ:

– There’s so much upcoming innovation that will let us have more accurate diagnosis for our patients, which is important when deciding on treatment and where to bring them. It’s also great to collaborate with groups that we don’t normally collaborate with on the other side of the world.

As the first delegate to sign up for this year’s conference, Megan Atkinson got the most elevated perspective to bring back home: During an access to patient demo by the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation’s R&D Helicopter, she was hoisted off the conference grounds to an aerial view of Oslo:

– What a wonderful experience! Said the flight nurse for Stanford Life Flight in California, USA, who normally shares the onboard medical responsibilities with another flight nurse:

– To come here and learn from programs with onboard physicians is great for advancing my skills and elevating my practice. My main takeaway so far is that they’re doing some very exciting research in Europe and Norway. I’m excited to learn about new ideas and concepts and take those home to my team back at Stanford!

Dedicated: Ross Aitkin travelled 33 hours from New Zealand to attend Oslo HEMS Conference 2025.

A positive shift in prehospital research

One of the experts invited to speak at the conference was Professor Emerita Erika Frischknecht Christensen, former HEMS Physician and Head of the Centre for Prehospital and Emergency Research in Aalborg, Denmark:

– During the years we fought to get a HEMS system in Denmark (established in 2014), I visited the Norwegian and German system and others. I’m so happy when they also have scientific conferences! she said, and was excited about the turn prehospital research has taken:

– We’re now seeing research not only on the most dramatic conditions, such as cardiac arrest. It’s also about qualitative aspects, in example how we secure that trauma patients don’t come out of the hospital with a lot of minor injuries. I think it’s important that we also consider what happens to the patient afterwards, and my main takeaway is that research is improving!

Experienced: – My main takeaway is that research is improving! said Professor Emerita Erika Frischknecht Christensen who spoke at Oslo HEMS Conference for the second time.

Ready for 2027!

Both Lossius and Rehn found the positive feedback from the HEMS-family encouraging:

– People have been telling me it’s a great conference, and of course these are really polite people. However, the number of smiles and enthusiastic discussions I’ve observed, makes me hope – believe even – that it’s their honest opinion, said Rehn, seconded by Lossius:

– It’s gone above all expectations, and we really look forward to the continued collaboration and to doing this again! he said.

The next Oslo HEMS Conference will take place in 2027.

– We’re incredibly grateful that all the 60 speakers we asked said yes! said Scientific Committee Chair Marius Rehn, here with Senior Researcher Ingrid Nygren Rognes.