Commercial Airline Medical Escort
Commercial Airline Medical Escort services often present a safe and cost-effective alternative for long-distance medical transport, bringing patients safely home when the default thought might be a private air ambulance charter. While physicians and care staff globally may default to air ambulance medevac due to familiarity, utilizing Registered Nurses and Paramedics on scheduled commercial airline flights can be a prudent and economical choice. Opting for a Registered Nurse on a commercial flight, whether in business class or with an airline stretcher, can result in significant savings on medical repatriation costs.
What is a Commercial Airline Medical Escort?
Exactly as the name describes, a Commercial Airline Medical Escort uses a qualified Medical Escort, such as a Registered Nurse or Paramedic, to accompany a patient who requires medical transport or medical repatriation. The medical repatriation flight occurs either in business class, first class, or on a specially installed airline stretcher.
The medical transport team at Pacific Western Emergency Services has decades of experience using Registered Nurses and Paramedics as medical escorts on commercial flights to safely move patients home – to and from almost any point in the world.
How does it work?
As long as the patient is clinically and medically stable and deemed medically appropriate, we work with the airline to secure a special medical clearance in advance of the medical flight or patient repatriation. This is known as an Airline Medical Clearance. This process pre-approves the patient to travel with a medical escort on a commercial flight, and includes all necessary components and arrangements such as ground transfers, ambulances (as required), oxygen on board the commercial airline, as well as business or first class seating for the patient, and the Registered Nurse or Paramedic medical escort. All aspects of this private medical flight are coordinated in great detail, from start to finish, door to door, bed to bed, including ground transportation and from the airport, whether by sedan or private ground ambulance.
What kind of experience do you have with medical repatriation flights?
Decades. Thousands upon thousands of successful medical transport flights on commercial airlines from every corner of the world. From Kelowna to Kabul, the medical escort and private air ambulance team at Pacific Western Emergency Services has undertaken thousands missions to all continents and regions of the world. Whether we are escorting a patient on a commercial flight from Bangkok to London, Japan to Australia or from Vietnam to Vancouver, we have the worldwide resources and experience necessary to accomplish the job from any country or region in the world.
Where are your Commercial Airline Medical Escorts based?
Pacific Western Emergency Services has commercial airline medical escort staff who are ready to respond around the world. Our Registered Nurses and Paramedics are located in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and the United Kingdom. Our airline medical transport teams hold Canadian, American, EU and UK passports, giving us access to a variety of countries on a visa-free basis. By having airline medical escort staff stationed at strategic points around the world, we are able to quickly respond to any country in order to bring your loved ones home.
What kind of medical equipment do you carry?
On every commercial airline medical escort mission that we undertake, the Registered Nurse or Paramedic brings a carry on medical bag with them, containing essential medications, patient care, cleaning and sanitizing supplies as well as emergency medical response drugs, and a defibrillator. Additionally, our Registered Nurse and Paramedic medical escort travel with a Portable Oxygen Concentrator which delivers oxygen to the patient during the flight, as required. Additional medical equipment and supplies can be brought along as required, such as a medical transport ventilator, and IV infusion pumps. Pacific Western EMS staff are capable of managing all levels of patient care, from basic and routine, all the way to critical care. We provide care for complex wounds, as well as tracheostomy care and suctioning. All of our Flight Nurses are licensed, trained and qualified as Critical Care Registered Nurses, with special training in flight physiology and international aeromedical transport.
What kind of clients do you work with?
Pacific Western Emergency Services works with a variety of clients including hospitals, health authorities, corporations, insurance providers, and private individuals. Our focus is on providing emergency medical travel assistance, case management and support, in particular for non-insured clients.
The commercial airline medical repatriation is the end point, or final piece involved in closing out complex domestic or international medical assistance cases. Unlike a traditional air ambulance or medical escort company, we take on the full medical case management function with our clients, taking them through the repatriation journey from start to finish.
This includes services such as making arrangements for a receiving bed and doctor, securing hospital admission if required, managing hospital bills and costs (medical cost containment) to ensure fairness in hospital billing for our clients, as well as managing the commercial airline medical repatriation itself. Normally, these functions are carried out by a travel assistance or travel insurance company. However, Pacific Western Emergency Services specializes in providing emergency case management and support to clients who are without travel insurance and medical assistance, thus bridging that gap through our supportive emergency medical assistance services.
How can we help? Contact us today alert@nullpacific-ems.com or request a quote online.
Pacific Western EMS
At Pacific Western Emergency Services, we are a pillar of dependability and distinction in medical repatriation and emergency services, safeguarding the health of Canadians worldwide. Our commitment is reflected in our broad array of services, from our premier Air Ambulance Services, to our streamlined Ambulance Booking process, and our thorough Ground Ambulance Services. Each offering is carefully crafted to meet diverse medical needs, providing prompt and protected transport solutions back to Canadian soil. Learn more about our exceptional services, including specialized air ambulance repatriation from Mexico, and let us be your guiding light in medical crises, ensuring your tranquility during travel.
Pacific Western EMS
Your trusted partner in Emergency Medical Services and Medical Repatriation. Bringing you and your loved ones safely home.
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5360 Airport Road South - Unit D1
Richmond, BC V7B 1B4
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