Our AirCARE1 medical crew will be with our patients from the bedside of the sending facility to their bedside of the receiving facility to ensure continues medical care during the entire transport. Our bedside to bedside service begins when the AirCARE1 flight team arrives at the departing medical facility, along with the ground ambulance crew, to pick up the patient. This ensures the patient is correctly assessed at the sending facility before transport. The flight crew will remain with the patient during the entire transport, including accompanying them to the [...]

Bedside-to-bedside service means medical personnel are with the patient from the sending medical facility, through the medical flight while providing medical care, to the receiving medical facility.

AirCARE1 provides rigorous initial training as well as monthly in-depth continuing education. AirCARE1 medical crew members receive specific training beyond that normally available to critical care providers. The medical crew has specific knowledge of flight physiology and the impact flight stressors have on the patient. They are also trained to handle any In-flight emergency, both related to those likely from the condition of the patient as well as those completely unanticipated. See Crew Experience for more information.

AirCARE1 hires and trains all our own employees. We invest in quality initial training as well as continuing training. See Crew Experience for more information.

Due to the nature of flying, it is important to have only the best and most qualified personnel on board to ensure the highest quality of patient care and safety. To ensure quality patient care, each crew member is hired based on specific skill sets: good communication skills, flexibility, the ability to think quickly on their feet, adaptation, innovation, and a critical care background. Each crew member has undergone a stringent interview process, including both reference and background checks. No ads are placed for hiring, it is by referral only.

The flight is staffed with two highly experienced pilots: a captain and a first officer, just like on a commercial airline flight. They each have an airline transport pilot (ATP) rating, which is the highest FAA pilot certification and receive annual recurrent simulator training. Our pilots have minimum of 3000 hours-which is above industry standards. We never use one pilot, as is used on some air ambulance flights. At least two medical crew members consisting of an experienced critical care nurse with a background in either ICU, CCU, ER, and [...]

As part of our commitment to overall patient well-being, small pets in cages can be flown in the aircraft depending on space available. We know that patient’s stress level can be greatly reduced when they can bring their small pet(s) on the flight with them.

One or two traveling companions may accompany the patient at no additional charge. This is not a requirement but is encouraged whenever practical to reduce patient’s stress levels. The only exception would be if the patient’s specific medical condition does not allow additional passengers.

Since all AirCARE1 aircrafts are equipped as Airborne Critical Care Units, we are able to fly patients with a wide variety of medical conditions. Some patients require only minor medical monitoring all the way to patients who are critically ill and in need of specialty care. Read more about Who We Transport The general criteria for flying a patient is a doctor’s recommendation that the patient should not travel by a commercial carrier. Conditions include: 1. Trauma patients 2. Respiratory patients on ventilators 3. Cardiac patients on balloon pumps (IABP) [...]