Air ambulance service providers are companies that provide medical air transport services for patients with serious or critical conditions. They can be used for transfers between hospitals, as well as transportation to other locations such as a patient’s home or destination of choice when a ground ambulance cannot reach them in time.
With the increasing number of diseases and ailments, the dependence on air ambulances has increased massively, driving up the global air ambulance service market size to $5.5 billion in 2021 itself.
Naturally, there are a lot of unanswered questions and unknown information about air ambulances. In this blog, we answer all the common questions.
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Why Do Patients Need Air Ambulance Services?
There are many reasons why patients need air ambulance services. Some of them are:
- Suppose a patient has to be transferred from one hospital to another. Even if the transfer is within the same city, it can still be expensive and time-consuming for the patient and family members. Hiring an air ambulance service will take you directly where you want to go in a fraction of the time, saving you time and money as well as helping relieve stress for everyone involved.
- Suppose a patient needs specialized care at a distant location that cannot be accessed by road transport because of terrain or environmental conditions such as snowstorms or heavy rainstorms. It can be very difficult for emergency workers like firemen or policemen who must walk long distances through mud or snow to reach someone who has been hurt during these types of emergencies or natural disasters! By using an air ambulance service instead, they’ll be able to reach their destination faster than ever before while maintaining their dignity during such stressful times.
How Do I Choose an Air Ambulance Transportation Provider?
Make the following considerations while selecting a provider of medical air transport services:
- Credibility and Reputation
- Experience
- Accreditation
- Pricing/Costs of air ambulance transport services
- Equipment and aircraft used to transport patients by air ambulance service
- The medical flight crew
What Is the Procedure for Hiring an Air Ambulance?
- First, you’ll need to call the medical air transport services provider and give them all the information about your medical emergency.
- They will get back to you with an estimate of what it will cost to transport your patient. If it sounds reasonable, they can start arranging for transport.
- The air ambulance service will coordinate with the local hospital, your patient’s physician, and your insurance company to make sure everyone is on board with receiving this patient at their destination hospital or clinic.
Does the Air Ambulance Include Only Helicopters?
While helicopters are the most popular form of aircraft for medical transport, there are also fixed-wing options. These are airplanes that can be used to transport patients with ground or water access only.
You need to think about your patient’s needs and how they’re getting to the hospital before choosing an air ambulance service. For example, if you have a patient who’s in critical condition and needs immediate attention, it may not matter whether he or she is transported by helicopter or fixed-wing plane because time is of the essence. However, if you’re sending someone who isn’t as sick but still needs medical care at another location, fixed-wing might be a better option because it will take longer than a helicopter ride would take, given current traffic conditions on the roadways surrounding your location (or lack thereof).
On What Factors Does Air Ambulance Cost Measure?
The cost of air ambulance services is determined by several factors. The most obvious consideration is the distance you need to travel, but other considerations include the type of aircraft and medical equipment required for your trip, as well as how many medical crew will be helping you along the way. On average, the estimated median cost of an air ambulance is anywhere between $36,000 to $40,000.
The length of flight can also impact your bill, so keep in mind that if you have a long trip ahead (say from New York City to Los Angeles), it might be more expensive than if you were flying just between nearby cities (for example Dallas-Fort Worth to Austin).
The specialty of your medical crew also plays an important role in determining how much your transport will cost. If you need an emergency room doctor or surgeon on board during transport, then expect to pay more than someone who only requires a paramedic or nurse practitioner.
Does the Air Ambulance Provide 24/7 Patient Monitoring During Transport?
Most medical air transport services provide 24/7 patient monitoring. It includes the use of ECG, capnography, end-tidal CO2, pulse oximetry, and non-invasive blood pressure. In addition to these monitoring tools, they also use cardiac monitoring and pulse oximetry as well as non-invasive blood pressure monitoring (NIBP) devices to help ensure that your loved one receives the best possible medical care while they are being transported by air ambulance.
How Do They Transfer a Patient by Air Ambulance?
Medical transport services are a great resource for those in need of urgent care for themselves or loved ones. You may find yourself wondering how these medical air ambulance services work, what they can provide, and how you can get access to them if needed. The following is an overview of the process:
- Pick up from your home or other location
- Transfer to the airport where the medical jet is waiting for pickup (if needed)
- Transfer to the jet, which will take off within minutes of landing at its destination airport
How Do I Know if My Insurance Will Cover the Cost of an Air Ambulance?
You can’t be sure that your insurance company will cover your air ambulance bill until you ask. The best option is to call the customer service executive and get an opinion from someone who works at your insurance provider. They’ll know exactly how they handle air ambulance cases and what their policies are regarding this type of treatment.
Wrapping Up
Choosing an air ambulance company is a big decision. You want to make sure that you are getting the best possible service for your money and also that you can trust the people who will be transporting you or someone in your family.
When it comes to choosing an air ambulance provider, there are many things that you should consider before making a final decision.
The right air ambulance service can make all the difference.
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