Air Ambulance Alternative: Private Ground Medical Transport in British Columbia
Air Ambulance Alternative
Our medical transport teams are based in Vancouver, Kamloops and Nanaimo, providing WPEMS Paramedics with full coverage for medical transport in British Columbia. Non-emergency medical transport via private ground ambulance means that while the patient is still under the care of highly trained and licensed Paramedics, the medical transport is booked on a pre-scheduled basis, and planned in advance. We do not transport patients who need higher level of care, or for those who need emergency care.
Examples of pre-scheduled, non-emergency patient transfers and medical transport that WPEMS provides in British Columbia include:
- Medical transport when leaving a healthcare facility (ie transfer from hospital to home)
- Medical transport for appointments, such as diagnostic imaging
- Medical transport and non-emergency ambulance transport between skilled nursing facilities
- Inter-regional transfers from one health authority, to another health authority, for instance, a patient moving from a hospital in Fraser Health to a hospital in Interior Health.
- Palliative care transfers
- Long distance medical transport between British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and the USA
Contact WPEMS today to book your scheduled non-emergency medical transport.
British Columbia Air Ambulance Alternative Medical Transport
WPEMS customers such as Health Authorities, Hospitals and families in British Columbia often turn first to British Columbia Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) for air ambulance transport in British Columbia. BCEHS classifies air ambulance needs according to acuity and need: Red transfers for those who need immediate, life saving care, yellow transfers for urgent, time sensitive cases, and green for repatriation to equal or lower level of care.
WPEMS provides a ground ambulance alternative in British Columbia for those who are left waiting on the green (non urgent, non-emergency) repatriation list for patient transfer between facilities. As a low priority medevac, the wait list can be several days, if not several weeks long, often unpredictable, and subject to change without notice, if the aircraft is diverted to a higher level emergency call. Families who think that their loved one will be moved that day, are often left waiting and disappointed at the last minute - or worse, they loose the sought after bed at the new facility that has opened a time sensitive waitlist spot.
Booking a non-emergency, long distance ground ambulance with WPEMS provides our customers and clients with certainty, predictability and peace of mind, knowing that when plans are made, plans are kept. A private ground ambulance medical transport ensures that patients who are transferred on a non-emergency basis make it to their destination on time, comfortably and without delay or bumping. We ensure that when the facility wait list opens up, your patient, loved one or family member makes it there, on time, and on schedule.
Book Your Service Online Today
Private Air Ambulance
A private air ambulance medevac is a passenger plane that is converted over by the air medical transport company who hires the plane from a charter broker. In British Columbia, companies that advertise themselves as an “Private Air Ambulance” will hire the aviation company who installs a medical stretcher into the plane by removing passenger seats. Because the air ambulance is hired on an ad-hoc, or charter basis, a private air ambulance medevac in British Columbia can be extremely expensive, and often unaffordable for many families, especially senior citizens who are moving between skilled nursing facilities. For example, and air ambulance from Vancouver to Calgary can cost over $25,000 one way.
A long distance ground ambulance transport from WPEMS provides an alternative to the high cost of hiring a medical transport plane. WPEMS paramedic crews provide the same level of patient care and comfort as would be found on an air ambulance, yet at a fraction of the cost.
Common routes that are travelled by WPEMS private ground ambulances on long distance medical transports include:
- Vancouver and Fraser Valley to Interior Health
- Interior to Northern British Columbia
- Kamloops, Kelowna and Vernon to Calgary
- Okanagan to Edmonton
- Victoria, Nanaimo, Comox and Campbell River to Vancouver
- Medical transports between British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan
- All points in between
Contact us today to discuss options for your private air ambulance alternative, info@pacific-ems.com
Please note that Western Pacific Emergency Response Ltd is not a 911 emergency ambulance. If you need urgent transfer to a medical facility for higher level of care, or if you are experiencing a medical emergency and need transfer to an ER, please call 911.
