General Health | Health And Wellness Tips

Just One Call Brings the Air Ambulance

If you or someone you love have been seriously injured or become ill away from home, it is important to return home safely and quickly. Patients recover better and faster when in familiar surroundings and near family. If travel arrangements must be made by air ambulance, then just pick up the phone.

One simple call to an air ambulance service center will get the ball rolling and soon the air ambulance will be on its way to the patient. Operators are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year at most air ambulance service centers. Patients don’t wait until banker’s hours to get hurt or sick, so the air ambulance service industry is always ready to take the call.

The phone call comes into the center and the operator will quickly take down the important details and information needed to begin scheduling the trip. The staff takes the information and processes the rest of the arrangements. There are no other hassles or concerns for the patient or the family.

A medical coordinator at the air ambulance service will begin by looking at the request for air ambulance service information, then call or contact the appropriate hospital, doctor, or medical facility where the patient is currently located. After speaking to someone about the specific details of the case, the medical coordinator gets to work. The medical coordinator has quite a job to do. Not only do they have to keep up on the patient’s condition but also learn about any potential complications that may arise during transit. It is important for the medical coordinator to accurately record any in-flight orders and relay this information to the flight team.

Now that the medical coordinator is informed and briefed on the situation, it is time to notify the flight crew and medical staff. The personnel on board the air ambulance must be highly qualified to care for the patient and the specified needs that may arise during the flight. All pilots and crew members must also be informed about the patient’s medical condition and needs.

Although the air ambulance always has standard medical equipment on board, there are times when specialized medical tools and equipment must be loaded onto the aircraft to monitor and treat the patient appropriately during the flight. Each patient is promised bedside to bedside treatment, so all equipment must be ready and well-maintained in order to jet off to the patient in a moment’s notice.

As the aircraft is checked and ready for flight, the air ambulance service staff is filing flight plans and assessing weather information. Not only is it important to get the plane to the point of origin of the patient, but also to the destination. The goal of the air ambulance service is to transport the patient safely, quickly, and comfortably.

The ground transportation of the patient must also be coordinated. The medical coordinator contacts the appropriate ground transportation crews and informs them of the patient’s circumstances and time of arrival.

All of this intense effort and coordination comes together quickly and efficiently to get the patient to the destination safely and hassle free. It only takes one phone call to get the air ambulance on the way. The rest is up to the air ambulance service.

Get Quotes Fast for Air Ambulance Transportation Services

Air ambulance transportation is not a common service that everyone uses on a daily basis. This type of flight is not one that you can click on a travel website and get the cheapest fare available from city to city, or is it?

In non-emergency situations, patients and their family have time to prepare for special circumstances that may arise during medical treatment. If travel by air is necessary, but standard commercial flights are not available due to specific medical restrictions, the patient may require the specialized care from an air ambulance service. Customers can’t logon to well-known travel sites for price quotes and information, but options are available. By contacting air ambulance service companies, you will be able to quickly receive a price quote. Some air ambulance services will require potential clients to contact them by phone while others respond to email inquiries.

Many company websites for reputable air ambulance service will have a link to get an immediate quote. This option is great for families who want to privately compare prices and learn about each organization before bothering the air ambulance service with the details.

One of the best ways to get accurate quotes for air ambulance transport is by letting the companies fight for your business. Certain websites will allow customers to input the pertinent travel and medical information and let the companies send in their prices. From the comfort of your home, you can peruse the information at your leisure. Based on the price quotes from the air ambulance transport companies, you can then do a little more research on the organization to find the one that is right for you.

When comparing price quotes from air ambulance transportation service companies, make certain that you are comparing apples to apples and not apples to oranges. Find out what is included in each price quote. Does the air ambulance fee cover any and all ground transportation to and from the aircraft? Are family members permitted to fly in the air ambulance with the patient? If so, is this fee part of the price quote?

Another important factor to consider during this process is the type of medical care the patient will receive during the flight. Learn what type of staff will be on board the aircraft. Are there additional fees for specialized services such as a respiratory therapist or NICU team?

Before settling on a specific company, find out what type of aircraft will be used. For trips over 500 miles, a jet is recommended for patient comfort and speed. Air ambulance companies will vary their price quote based on the type of aircraft, so this is a major factor when considering cost.

In today’s high-tech world, it can be easy to enter a bit of information into a form on a website and retrieve valuable information. Let the internet save you valuable time and effort by effortlessly getting price quotes from air ambulance transportation services with just a few simple keystrokes. As companies compete for your business, you are assured a reasonable rate. With the extreme cost of air ambulance travel, this can be a great benefit to customers. Take advantage of the opportunity to find a great value from a company that meets your needs.

Does My Credit Card Cover Air Ambulance Services During Travel?

Credit cards seem to fill the pockets and purses of nearly every traveler around the world. Premium credit cards frequently offer benefits and perks for travelers. These little extras lure consumers into using their specific credit card to make travel purchases. If you use credit cards when you travel, it is important to learn about the specifics for your particular card.

Does your credit card cover lost or stolen items away from home? Does the card cover air ambulance services in an emergency? Learning about such benefits will help you prepare for your next trip whether it is across the country or around the world.

Begin your quest for answers by digging out your paperwork from your credit cards. Start combing through the fine print to see what your premium credit card covers and what exclusions apply. After doing a little detective work, you will undoubtedly realize that you do have some coverage during your trip away from home. Credit card companies will typically pay for lost or stolen luggage or other personal goods during a trip, but this feature is only effective after a deductible has been applied. Of course, all credit card agreements are different, so check your card to be certain.

If a medical emergency should arise, the credit card coverage may pay to have you transported to the nearest medical facility. Your premium credit card may even pay to have someone fly to be with you. Yes, this is quite a nice benefit, but the card will not cover expenses to fly you home on an air ambulance to the hospital of your choice to be near family and friends. Also, it will not cover the added expenses of hotel rooms, food, and other expenses associated with the family member traveling and staying in the area so far from home.

Due to this vulnerable situation, many cardholders decide to purchase a membership to an air ambulance service that will cover any fees associated with getting the patient home. Such a company will charge a set fee, typically charged monthly or annually. For this fee, the covered person or family can choose to fly via air ambulance from any hospital far from home to the hospital of their choice. All of this is at no additional cost. Since such a flight home on a medically staffed air ambulance is expensive, this membership can save a great deal of money. One trip on an air ambulance can cost between $10 and $75,000.

Even a premium credit card won’t cover those expenses.

Before traveling away from home, it is crucial that you learn the ins and outs of your coverage from a credit card. Even premium credit cards with fabulous benefits may leave you open and vulnerable in a medical emergency. All credit card agreements vary, so read the fine print very carefully.

If you are not guaranteed coverage of a flight home on a medically staffed air ambulance to the hospital of your choice, then you are not adequately covered with your credit card. Additional coverage is necessary to protect yourself, your family, and your wallet.

Does an Air Ambulance Need RVSM?

If you are someone you know will be needing to use an air ambulance service, there are numerous factors to consider before making the trip. One factor to consider when flying in an air ambulance is the aircraft. If the patient must travel by air over a distance of 500 miles, then it is advisable to transport the patient in a jet. Before selecting any air ambulance service that uses jets to transport their patients, check to see if the aircrafts are equipped with RVSM.

What does RVSM mean? The letters RVSM are an abbreviation for Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum. RVSM is a modification to the jet aircraft that has been required by the FAA on all aircrafts that want to fly above 29,000 feet in the air. Despite the FAA regulation since January of 2005, many pilots have chosen not to make this modification to their jet aircraft. Without RVSM, pilots are forced to fly their aircraft at lower altitudes.

For personal flights, flying at lower altitudes is primarily a minor inconvenience, but when traveling for medical necessity by air ambulance, the situation changes. Patients flying on an air ambulance jet are in need of comfort, safety, and speed. The lack of RVSM requiring flight at lower altitudes compromises the patient’s comfort and the speed of the flight.

When a pilot is forced to fly at lower altitudes, the transit time is lengthened. When time is of the essence, patients cannot afford to waste time. Jets having RVSM are able to fly at higher altitudes and save precious time. In some instances, this can make the difference between life and death.

Another negative side to flying without RSVM includes more fuel stops. With each landing and takeoff for fuel, more time is spent circling the airport, taxiing, and fueling up the plane. Waiting for more fuel can spend time that some patients don’t have to spare. Selecting an air ambulance service that flies with RVSM can save time and offer patients and family peace of mind.

More turbulence is frequently experienced at lower altitudes when compared to flying with RVSM. Turbulence can compromise the safety of the patient. This can be avoided using RVSM technology on the air ambulance flight permitting the aircraft to fly above the turbulence. Choppy flights can also become uncomfortable and unpleasant for patients. Selecting an air ambulance service that has RVSM on their jets will ensure the highest possible comfort for the patient.

Anyone traveling by air ambulance is undoubtedly concerned with safety, speed, and comfort. RVSM may seem to be a luxury for some pilots, but quality air ambulance services know the value of RVSM for their clients. The RVSM technology modification to aircraft allows the patient the utmost comfort possible during the flight.

Flying at higher altitudes saves considerable time, by avoiding refueling, extra touchdowns of the aircraft, and issues with turbulence. Clearly, selecting an air ambulance jet with RVSM is important when traveling by air ambulance for long distances. RVSM offers safety and convenience for passengers creating peace of mind during a stressful time.