Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter pilot Graeme Gale landed at the Tapanui medical centre last week for the first time.
Patients were formerly ''double handled'' - transferred by St John from the triage unit at the medical centre to a field at Blue Mountain College, before being taken aboard by the helicopter's medical staff.
Now patients would be wheeled out the door of the triage unit at the medical centre into the waiting helicopter for the 20 minute flight to Dunedin.
''We'll transport patients straight into the machine and then straight on to the hospital roof,'' Mr Gale said.
''It's a true door to door operation.''
The time it took to double handle patients, he said, was ''close to our flight time''.
The well lit, private concrete helipad also aided the highly specialised medical team on board, who once had to struggle with wheeled stretchers and cumbersome incubators for newborns in the dirt and mud.
St John Hokanui territory manager Jan Douglas said the helipad would reduce the ambulance workload for the 12 to 16 helicopter evacuations from Tapanui typical in a year.
West Otago Health Trust chairman Allister Body said part of the exercise in welcoming Mr Gale, who had been consulted as the helipad was built, was to determine where fencing around it would go.
Members of the Mercer Trust, who sponsored the helipad, were joined by St John crew, the Tapanui Volunteer Fire Brigade, medical centre staff and the builders at the ceremonial first landing.
The $3.6 million George and Caroline Edgar Memorial Building, which houses the West Otago Medical Centre and Ribbonwood Country Home, opened in August last year.