Using an air ambulance is one of the fastest forms of patient transport and more so when a significant distance needs to be covered quickly or if road traffic would delay the time it would take for a road ambulance to get the patient to the hospital. But not all air ambulance service providers are the same – before determining which company to use, you must look at their procedures around in-flight patient care, safety, medical liability and the cost of the services provided.

Of all key procedures that an air ambulance firm has, their policy and practice around In-flight care is one of the most important things to look at especially when handling very ill and delicate patients. Such patients need constant monitoring and care so that their condition may remain stable until they reach the destination hospital. In flight care must not only incorporate the appropriate medical equipment to make sure this happens but must also have well trained medical attendants on board to check on the patient throughout the flight.

An air ambulance is not an ordinary aircraft – how the pilot flies the plane must therefore be different from a conventional passenger plane with the pilot taking great care to make sure the patient is not jolted unnecessarily.

There are a number of things you need to do when contacting an air ambulance company. Read over the following, and research any information that you do not know off the top of your head:

• Provide details on the level of transportation required – You would do this by liaising with the flight coordinator to agree on the dates and times you want to move the patient and the mode of transportation required on the ground from the plane to the hospital.
• Furnish the air ambulance firm with the details of the patient being transported. This will include basic information such as their name, age, brief medical history, the patient’s current diagnosis, the patient’s current location and the destination facility.
• The patient’s passport details would also be required if the air ambulance must make an intercontinental flights. The air ambulance company will also need the details of any family member that will accompany the patient on the flight.

The company should then provide you with a quote that factors not just the flight but also includes ground transportation, pick-up and drop-off details and any landing fees required at the destination.

Once you have the quote, agree on a means of payment. If the patient has medical insurance that can cover the cost of the evacuation, then this is the point where such would be discussed and, if necessary, clearance sought from the insurance company.

With payment means out of the way, the air ambulance will send you a copy of the flight schedule which will include all the departure and arrival details as well as the duration of the flight.

As you are getting ready for flight, you may want someone to be along with you. Depending on the level of your medical condition up to two individuals can be flown with you. You need to remain calm and understanding if the medical personnel determine it isn’t safe for you.

Determining the type of medical situation for the air ambulance company is essential as well. There are three basic conditions that may warrant the use of medical evacuation.

Basic Life Support: With this, the patient will normally only have a minor medical emergency, but they will likely need oxygen and IV access. Usually they remain stable, but that could change quickly thus warranting the need for an air ambulance.

Advanced Life Support: While still in a stable condition there is a higher requirement for IV support as well as the need for infusions. Because of the extra attention required and need to get to a facility quicker, the patient would require an air ambulance.

Critical Care: This patient is in dire need of care. They are likely unstable and need constant work done on them, IV’s are constantly being handled and there may be a need for serious ventilation. There may even be a need for some invasive procedures.

In all three scenarios the air ambulance company will help to determine if you need to be airlifted. In some occurrences, a standard ambulance would be called in place of this evacuation tool. If you are a healthcare provider, they will also be able to help you with determining if the patient does need to be airlifted.

This brings up another important point – when you decide to airlift a patient never use a broker. Instead, by going directly through the company you save money for the responsible party for the trip. It might be the hospital, insurance company or the patient. When you deal with a broker, their bottom line is important and what they charge normally only covers the basic needs of the patient.

Keep in mind that the entire set of personnel on the flight is dedicated to helping you. Never attack or get angry when they are trying to help you. Instead, remain calm. They understand the pain you might be in and are dedicated to providing you with excellent care.

There is nothing to worry about when flying in the air ambulance either. The pilots are required to receive additional training in medical terminology, how to provide the patient care at the highest level, and flight physiology as well. This allows communication to remain intact while performing the basics you might need and with twenty thousand hours of flight time under their belt before they become certified, you never have to worry about a novice pilot.

During the flight you will be asked to remain as still as possible. This helps to prevent any turbulence that might be caused by unnecessary movement, and can prove to be critical. Be sure to follow the directions of the flight personnel exactly as you are asked to.

Keep in mind that an air ambulance is a serious form of medical transportation and not every situation you encounter will demand the use of it. Take time to review the information provided, and contact a company you can trust to make sure that your specific situation should be handled by an air ambulance for medical evacuation.

Air medical transport is usually used where the infrastructure for the more commonly used forms of transport such as road and rail is nonexistent or virtually unusable. Alternatively, you might have the infrastructure being in excellent condition but because the person needs medical attention virtually immediately, then air medical transport becomes the fastest means to move him or her to the hospital.

Air ambulances are often equipped with various types of medication including medicine, monitoring units, stretchers, CPR equipment and ventilators. The type of equipment will vary from one air ambulance service to another but the overall intention is usually to ensure that the patient can receive emergency medical treatment in order to stabilize their condition before they get to the hospital. This should be one of the most important aspects you should look at before you choose an air medical transport company to use.

But how did air ambulances start? Air medical transport started among military teams when they used aircraft to transport injured soldiers back to their camps for treatment. More specifically, this form of transport for wounded and ill soldiers was first used in 1870 to transport injured French soldiers using a hot air balloon during the Siege of Paris. However, it was not until the First World War when airplanes had started to become a more commonly used weapon of war that the use of air ambulances started to gain ground.

During this time Germany, which had one of the fleets at the time, used air medical transport to evacuate soldiers wounded in the battle front lines back to Germany. The US military forces also greatly relied on air transport to move injured soldiers from danger zones to safer grounds during the Korean and Vietnam War. From those early days, the tendency to use air medical transport has become so ingrained in militaries across the world. Only recently, the US government deployed several helicopters to Iraq to act as air ambulances. The efficiency of air ambulances in medical services soon transitioned into the civilian medical services arena.

As you would expect from any service industry, not all air medical transport service providers are the same or provide the same level of quality or service. So there are things you need to consider when choosing the air ambulance that is most suitable for you. First, check if the firm is properly registered and licensed. That said, most states in the US do not have strong regulation around air ambulance services. Thus, you may need to gauge the firm against best practice. Go for firms that are well equipped and demonstrate a qualified, trained and skilled staff.

Next, be certain on whether you are negotiating with a broker or the air ambulance firm itself. This is important not only because some brokers or firms are inconsistent and unreliable thus disappointing you when you actually need the service, but it is also important because using a broker can see you paying more to cater for the broker’s commission.

Qualifications

• When you are selecting an air ambulance service the one thing you will want to take into consideration is the type of aircraft that is involved. You’re looking for an aircraft that has a wide doorway, to eliminate problems with loading and unloading the patient, as well as one which will have a larger fuel capacity in order to minimize the need for stops to refuel.

• It goes without saying that having the right equipment on board should be SOP, but you may be shocked by how many providers simply don’t. Making sure that the aircraft is uses strictly for medevac is important and that the equipment isn’t sidelined so that the aircraft can be used for other things.Many companies use their medevac craft for chartering at times when they do not have patients to transport. This kind of craft is probably best to avoid, since you want to assure that the materials that your family member or loved one needs are there on board, waiting for them.

• Select a medevac service that employs two pilots at a time rather than just one. If something were to take place with one pilot, the results could be disastrous. Likewise, make sure that there are adequate medical staff on the aircraft and that they are well versed in in-flight medicine and medical procedures. Some wonderful medical personnel exist out there who simply don’t know enough about how to practice medicine in the air. Make sure that the staff on the medevac that you use are well versed in flight medicine and know exactly what to do about any emergency that might arise.

Services

• Look for med-evac companies that will permit you to take a travel companion with your family member. When there is a medical emergency that requires you to be airlifted, it’s going to be much less stressful for the patient as well as immediate family members if at least one person can fly with them. Find out up front how much they charge to take extra passengers. Some air ambulance services do not charge for an additional person and this is a service that is literally priceless.In fact, there are even those companies which encourage and permit the passenger to bring along small caged pets if there is a need for it. Make sure that you check out the company policy about animals and travel companions if you think that it will help to alleviate the stress of the patient.

• The best provider of medevac or air ambulance services will offer you bed to bed service. They land their patient, the medical personnel travels with them to the hospital and offers a report to the receiving facility. In this way the patient is assured a smooth transition to the new care provider and continuity of care is assured for the patient.

Every medevac company is unique and each offers different types of services. It is important that the patient is at ease with the personnel as well as the services they will be receiving, but it is also important that the family is too. Take a good look at the qualifications and services of each medevac company prior to settling on one to transport you or your loved ones.

Most people never imagine having to charter an ambulance flight and it often comes unexpected. You may feel put on the spot to charter the flight right away, which brings on a lot of stress. Take a deep breath and relax. Spend just a few minutes with this checklist of things to be considered when selecting an air ambulance service and chartering the flight.

You can charter an ambulance flight that will take complete care of your loved one so you can focus your worries on them.

1. Will you be able to ride with your loved one?

Most air ambulances will allow at least one person to ride along with the patient since it makes them feel more comfortable and helps relieve their stress during transportation. Make sure to ask all services that you contact if they will allow your or someone else to ride along.

2. Who will be in charge of the patient medically during transport?

It is very important that someone with a medical background remain with the patient at all times while being moved from one medical facility to another. Since patients who require an air ambulance are naturally not in the best of health, make certain that someone will be with your loved one monitoring them every step of the way. From the time they leave their current facility to the moment they arrive in a bed at the new facility, someone should be monitoring them.

Also, there should be at least a nurse on the flight just in case something goes wrong and immediate medical care is needed. Never trust an air ambulance that doesn’t have medical staff on board!

3. What type of plane or jet will be used for the flight?

This is something few people think about when they are chartering an ambulance flight. Don’t make the mistake of assuming your air ambulance service knows best when it comes to the type of plane being used. You have to ask!

If you are flying your loved one hundreds of miles away you need a jet that is approved to fly higher up in the air. You want a jet that doesn’t require frequent stops to refuel and that will fly higher up to avoid turbulence which could create discomfort for your loved one.

You want the fastest flight possible, so make sure to ask about the jet being used and get an estimate of how many stops may be required and how long it may take. This is where you may find one service better than another.

4. Does everyone related to the air ambulance have the proper certifications?

Make sure that you are dealing with a reputable service that is licensed with the proper certification for operations. This is extremely important because you are more likely to have a completely safe, flawless transport with licensed professionals.

Make sure to check into all of these things prior to chartering your ambulance flight. Price comes into play, but safety and comfort are more important.

Organizations providing air ambulance services need to maintain a uniform standard for all their airplanes, medical equipment and professional staff. The quality of service they provide is governed by two factors:

• High standards for the airplanes used and medical equipment fitted into the air ambulance:       In this business, jets are the preferred mode of transport because they are more economical and eliminate the need for making transit stops to refuel the plane. Jets such as the Lear jet have wide doors, which allow the patient easy entry/exit from the plane. It is ideal for both short distances and long-range flights.
• An advanced training program: The medical staff needs to undergo a rigorous training program to qualify to serve as flight personnel. This ensures adherence to high standards of performance amongst flight personnel.

Some air ambulance services require two pilots on every medical flight while others use only one pilot. However, having two pilots on board enhances safety. This is essential especially in an emergency because two minds are better than one. Two medical personnel should also accompany the pilots. The medical personnel should have significant experience in ER and ICU operations. They should be conversant with flight physiology. Additional medical personnel may also accompany the patient if the situation so demands.

To put the patient at ease, one or two friends/relatives of the patient should accompany the patient free of charge. Having a friend with them significantly reduces stress levels.

The most common users of air ambulance services are patients suffering from trauma, respiratory conditions requiring ventilators, patients who have head injuries and cardiovascular complications.

FAA requires installation of the Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) for all aircraft flying above 29,000 feet.  Flying at such an altitude ensures faster travel and comfort for the patient. Flying below 29,000 feet on the other hand, exposes the patient to unnecessary discomfort. It also compromises safety because of the need for additional fuel stops, increased transit times involving a possible change of crew and flying in turbulent weather conditions.

Air ambulance services provide three levels of care:

• Basic life support:  Such care is for persons who have relatively minor medical conditions, probably requiring oxygen or IV supplementation.
• Advance life support: patients requiring this category of care need higher levels of attention. There is need for increased monitoring of their condition on a continuous basis with access to IV facilities and drug transfusion.
• Critical care support: a patient in need of such specialist support will need constant monitoring, frequent drug administration, use of ventilators and other specialist gadgets that help to sustain life in an emergency.

It is important to talk to air ambulance personnel to determine if a patient needs to use their services. Depending on the condition of the patient, they may recommend use of ground ambulance or an air ambulance. However, the patient’s safety is most important and the decision made should focus on that.



Patient transport provides quick, often life saving, transportation for the sick or injured. It is also referred to as an air ambulance. The services of an air ambulance are used in a variety of situations. It may be used when there is no roadway to get in and out of an area or accident scene. It is also used when a patient needs immediate transport since travel by air is much faster than taking a traditional ambulance. Many times patient’s loved ones will be asked to give permission or to choose the patient transport service. There are many things to consider when choosing patient transport for a loved one.

Safety

There are strict regulations for air ambulances. The FAA requires all aircraft to be inspected and to meet certain minimal requirements. What you want to look for is a service that goes beyond that minimal requirement. You want them to have a solid reputation for aircraft that is kept to the highest standards and that are always in good condition. You can check safety reports to find out for yourself just how well maintained the air crafts are and if they are meeting high standards.

Equipment

While on the patient transport your loved one will need continuous medical treatment. In the case of a severe illness or injury there is no guarantees that a patient will remain stable throughout the transport. This is why the air ambulance you choose must be well equipped. You should expect it to be just as equipped as an ICU in a hospital. This way if something goes wrong, the staff inside the transport can give your loved one the proper care and attention. Do not be afraid to ask about the staff’s credentials.

Staff

The staff of the air ambulance is very important. You want to check who is on board and see that they have the necessary skills. You should expect to have well trained and experienced staff on the aircraft. You also want a staff that has specific training as flight paramedics. Caring for a patient in the air is not the same as caring for one on the ground.

Response Time

With patient transport response time is critical. You want a service that will be there when they are called. You do not want to have to deal with delays or other issues. Look for a service that has exceptional response times and a reputation for always being on time.

Nobody ever wants to think about having a loved one in critical condition and in need of serious medical attention. When it happens, though, it is nice to be ready and prepared for what you need to do. Having a good idea about patient transport is essential. You never know when the need may arise and when it does time is of the essence. You need to work fast and to make your decision quickly. Knowing what you should look for in an air ambulance ahead of time will really help you to make these decisions quickly.

Of course, not all air ambulances are created equal. There are several things to look for when choosing an air ambulance service. For instance, consider the safety of the aircraft. All aircraft are required by the FAA to undergo minimum inspections. Look for an air ambulance service that goes the extra mile, with a reputation for keeping their aircrafts in perfect running condition.

Also, find out if the air ambulance is equipped to handle medical emergencies while in the air. Medical emergencies are unpredictable, so find an air ambulance service that is equipped to handle all possible situations. Opt for air ambulances that are equipped like ICUs at regular hospitals. This greatly reduces the risk of being ill-prepared for an emergency in the air, and should give you some peace of mind.

While the equipment on hand is important to the safety and care of a patient in transport, the flight staff and medical crew are just as vital. Choose an air ambulance service that gives its medical crew special training as in-flight medical specialists. Not all nurses are made to be flight paramedics. Having specialized training on flight physiology will make a world of difference to the abilities of the medical crew to care for a patient while in flight.

Another factor to consider is how fast an air ambulance service can be provided. Medical emergencies are just that: emergencies. The medical assistance required is immediate. It doesn’t matter how fast an air ambulance is if takes the entire day just to deploy it. Look for an air ambulance that makes a priority of immediate deployment. You should be looking for a service that deploys within two hours of receiving authorization.

Of course, price is always something to think about when choosing an air ambulance service. While you cannot put a price on ensuring the medical needs of the patient are met, an effort should still be made to find an air ambulance that gives you the best value for your money. Ask for a quotation and demand that the price you are quoted is the price you will be paying when all is said and done.

When using the right service, an air ambulance can prove to be invaluable in providing immediate medical care to a patient in need. Keep the factors mentioned above in mind when choosing an air ambulance service so that you may get the most out of it.

When choosing an air evac service, the type of aircraft is an important consideration. You will want to find one that combines a long range to minimize or eliminate fuel stops, and an extra wide entry door to ease patient loading. AirCARE1 uses a Lear 35A type jet because it is ideal for these purposes.

Having the proper medical equipment on board seems like it should be standard, but you might be surprised. Sometimes, air ambulance teams use their jets for charter purposes as well, and they do not have the space inside to install more than the bare minimum. If a life-saving piece of equipment is not used very often, it might get cut out of their setup! You will never have this problem with AirCARE1. We do not charter our jets, and it is vital to us that our patients can get the same standard of treatment in the air that they would get in a ground-level hospital.

As with the medical equipment, having at least two pilots seems like it would be a good idea for all air evac providers, but some of them only employ one pilot per flight. This can be disastrous if anything happens to that one pilot! AirCARE1 jets, like commercial airline flights, come equipped with a captain and a first officer with high-level pilot certification. In addition, each pilot has to have at least 2,000 hours of flying experience, and we ensure that they are well rested before embarking on a flight.

The medical staff on an air ambulance is just as important as the flight crew. Be sure that you are paying for quality! Not all providers train their medical crew to be able to practice mid-air medicine. At AirCARE1, however, every member of our medical team gets specialized training in how to handle flight-related medical conditions and in-flight emergencies.

Good providers are concerned with the patient’s overall well being in addition to their vital signs, and AirCARE1 prides itself on holistic care. We want our patients to be as comfortable as possible during their flights. We do our best to create relaxing environments with the following services given where appropriate: therapeutic music in noise-canceling headsets, therapeutic hand massage, in-flight movies, and reading materials.

Your air evac service should have a friendly policy toward traveling companions. People do not get as stressed out on ambulance flights when someone that they know is flying with them. Of course, they might if they thought that it would fatten the bill! Some air ambulances will charge more if someone accompanies the patient in the aircraft. When you choose AirCARE1, however, up to two traveling companions can fly with the patient at no extra charge.

Furred and feathered friends are important, too. Besides passengers, AirCARE1 also allows for small pets in cages depending on the available space. As with passengers, having pets along can help with stress levels. It is also understandable that a patient may not want to leave a loved animal behind.

A quality air evac provider will offer bedside-to-bedside service. Bedside-to-bedside service means that the flight crew will not only land with the patient, but that they will also go with that patient to the medical facility. The crew makes sure that the patient arrives safely and that the medical staff at the facility have all of the information that they need to treat the patient. Providers whose crews leave their patients after landing risk interrupting the continuity of patient care. AirCARE1 transitions its patients smoothly from aircraft to facility with caring bedside-to-bedside service.

“You’re trying to get some sleep, you wake up, run as fast as you can and try to put your gear on,” Egbert said. “Usually the crew chief will go out to get the aircraft ready while the medic and pilot in charge stay to get info from command post. Our goal is to be in the air in (less than) 10 minutes.”

The air ambulance unit has a lot to figure out in that short period of time.  Among the considerations are where they’re going, the best way to get there and what kind of equipment the medics should bring, based on the injury that was reported to them.

However, war injuries aren’t the only people that this MEDEVAC unit services — this unit once saved a contractor that swallowed his dentures!

Be sure to read the article for lots of interesting information about the air ambulance company in Iraq.