People have to think ahead when traveling, but they don’t always plan for every scenario. For example, what happens if you or someone in your group gets injured? The World Health Association reports that injuries are the leading cause of preventable death for travelers.
Forward-thinking is the key to worry-free travel, especially if going abroad. It’s easy enough to map out a route to the nearest urgent care clinic or hospital. You can keep essential medical contact information on your phone, too, but what about getting back home? While developing your emergency medical travel strategy, consider the steps you’ll need to take to arrange medical air ambulance transportation home, too.
Why Not Be Prepared?Â
Take some time to research medical air ambulance services and find out which ones work along the travel route. Many of these companies offer international medical evacuation but only to certain countries. You’ll save a lot of time if you add the right medical transport service numbers to your list of contacts prior to leaving on the trip.
What are You Going to Ask?Â
When contacting medical airplane transport companies, you’ll need to know:
- If they offer critical care transport? Some companies may have limited options for medical care.
- Are they an actual air ambulance service or a broker? You want an actual provider, not a broker.
- What type of aircraft do they use? You’ll want fixed wing for most long-distance travel.
- What are their accreditations and other credentials?
- What types of health insurance do they take?
- Do they employ their own medical and flight crew members and what are their credentials?
Find out about their patient care service history, too. Have they had any accidents? Ask how long it would take them to respond in an emergency and if there are any upfront transport costs. They should have a good idea of what the health insurance company will pay and may ask for the difference upfront. Take more than one number with you, so if your first choice can’t help, you have a second vetted option available.
Who are You Going to Call?
If you do get injured, you’ll need to know who to contact for help. Your top priority is to get medical assistance at your location. In most cases, you can alert fellow travelers or service personnel. For instance, if you are on a cruise, tell the staff. If you are in a tourist area, look for a call box or local law enforcement. The emergency care team can help find an air ambulance transport if necessary. If aboard, ask someone to contact the U.S. Embassy to help arrange transport home, as well. Prior to agreeing to a service, ask the questions from the list like do they offer critical care transport and what insurance do they accept. This will ensure you get the safest and most reliable transport available.
The best way to enjoy your travel is to be fully prepared for the unexpected and that’s means knowing how you’ll get home in case of an emergency.
About the Author:
Mark Chapman is the Operations Director at Medway Air Ambulance, which has been safely transporting patients and families since 1987. Just one call to Medway Air Ambulance means that all arrangements will be handled quickly and efficiently. To learn more about Medway, visit www.medwayair.com.
