Whether you or a loved one experience a medical issue away from home or you need a transport to a larger medical facility, an air ambulance company can be the best way to get you the care you need. Before you hire any air ambulance service to provide your air medical transport, there are several steps to follow. This will ensure you choose the right option to meet your needs and fit your budget.

Check Licensing

Like many other fields, an air ambulance company should have the proper licensing. Not only do they need a license to be able to fly their airplanes, they also need to be licensed medical professionals to ensure their patients receive the proper care while in the air. Ask to see their licensing and make sure that all paperwork is up-to-date.

A Provider or a Broker

When you research an air ambulance service, you may notice that some are providers and others are brokers. As you look at your options, it is critical to understand the differences. When you work with a broker, you will be dealing with someone who serves as a middle man between you and an air medical transport company. You can often save money by choosing an actual service rather than working through a broker.

Crew Training

It is also very important to be familiar with the medical training the crew has completed. When it comes to your health and safety, you need to be sure you are in good hands throughout the ride. Depending on the medical condition an individual is experiencing, health emergencies can easily happen while in the air. As you choose an air ambulance service, it is vital that their crew is fully prepared for any emergency.

Choosing the right air ambulance company can be a stressful experience, especially when a loved one is not well. It is imperative to understand what you should look for as you choose the right company for your air medical transport. Be sure to ask about licensing, whether they are a provider or a broker, the availability of the crew and the training they have undergone. When you ask the right questions, you will find a service you can trust, even with your most difficult medical circumstances.

If you need an air ambulance company to help you get the medical care you or a loved one requires, call 800-550-0674 or request a quote online now! We take great pride in offering the best air medical transport services available.

We thought today would be appropriate to share our favorite things about working as air ambulance professionals…from our heart to yours.

Things We Love about Our Job

If you need an air ambulance or other medical transportation, call 800-550-0674 or request a quote online now. We want to help you get where you need to be for the right medical care. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Sometimes individuals need to be transported over long distances to receive medical care. Some become severely ill or are injured in an accident far from home and prefer to be treated closer to friends and families. Others require medical care that is not available at the hospitals or clinics close to home. Regardless of the situation, these patients need a method of transportation that provides for their medical needs. While an air ambulance can provide you with an air medical transport, there are other options for getting a medical escort.

Commercial Medical Transport

If an air ambulance isn’t available, you may be able to make arrangements for a medical transport on a commercial flight. In this situation, patients will fly on a commercial airline in first class with a medical escort by their side. Many airlines have experience in this area, although some medical conditions do not allow for this type of transportation due to greater medical need. If patients require too much oxygen or other advanced medical interventions, commercial flights will not be an option.

International Medical Stretcher

Traveling abroad can be a great experience, but medical emergencies can also happen while you are out of the country. When this happens, you may wish to be transported home so you can recover in a familiar place. With this alternative to an air ambulance, you can get a medical escort to provide you with a safe flight home on an international airline. A stretcher is installed near the back of the plane after removing several rows of seats. Medical personnel will accompany the individual and administer care as needed. One of the disadvantages to this option is the inability to create a unique flight plan, restricting travel choices.

Long Distance Ground Transport

A third alternative to an air ambulance is long distance ground transport. Similar to travel in your typical ambulance, this type of medical transport uses a van or other large vehicle to transfer the patient via road travel. This can be a viable option for medical conditions that will not handle flights well. Transportation over the ground is also often more affordable for patients, especially those who don’t have the insurance benefits to cover it. One of the disadvantages of ground transport is that it takes longer and requires more stops, depending on the length of the trip.

An air ambulance is one of the most effective methods of air medical transport, giving patients access to better medical care or helping them get treatment close to home. If this form of transportation is unavailable or not an option for you or your loved one, there are other alternatives. Before you choose a method of transportation, do your research on the pros and cons of each method so you can make the best possible choice.

When you or a loved one suffers from a serious condition needing fast treatment from a specialist who practices far from home, an air ambulance might be the best option. If someone has an injury or sudden illness that requires more care than the local hospital can provide, an air ambulance could be a great solution. The truth is that there are many situations that may warrant the use of a medical flight staffed by an experienced flight nurse. Choosing this type of transportation can be a difficult decision, but is necessary in many scenarios.

Why Not a Commercial Plane?

Some people may think they can simply buy a ticket on a commercial flight for a critically ill patient. Unfortunately, commercial airlines aren’t properly equipped to handle these patients or the care they may require. For example, there are restrictions on taking oxygen on board. In addition, commercial flights are filled with germs and there is no advanced medical equipment available should it be needed during transport.

Treatment Availability

Depending on the condition of the patient, an air ambulance can be the perfect way to ensure patients get the level of care required on route to a hospital destination. Every medical flight is staffed with a flight nurse and any other required support staff. An air ambulance also carries all necessary medical equipment to handle any emergencies that may occur in flight.

Concerned about the Cost?

As you consider whether an air ambulance is the right decision for you or a loved one, one of the most important factors to consider is the cost. In some situations, insurance may provide assistance for this type of transportation. If you don’t have a policy that will cover a medical flight, the right air ambulance company will work with you to come up with an affordable payment plan so you can get the medical transportation you or a loved one requires. Before you make any decisions, it is important to get a quote in order to establish that you are making a cost-effective and affordable choice.

When you get the quote from the air ambulance company, make sure it is detailed so you know what to expect. For instance, make sure it covers the cost of the medical flight itself, the flight nurse and any medical equipment that you or a loved one may need for the duration of the flight. If anything is missing, don’t hesitate to ask. Making the decision to use an air ambulance is often one that must be made quickly to ensure the patient receives the necessary level of medical care in a timely manner. However, determining whether a medical flight is a good option can be a difficult process. Understanding what situations make it necessary to use this method of medical transportation will help you make the right choice quickly and easily.

If you are in need of an air ambulance to transport a loved one, call 800-550-0674 or request a quote online now. We are the leader in air ambulance services.

When you find yourself in need of an air medical transport, you are most likely worried about many things, including your medical condition, what the next steps in treatment are, and when you will begin to feel better. One thing you should not have to worry about is having someone by your side to comfort you. With Air Critical Care, you can be confident that your trusted friend or family member can be by your side every step of the way.

There is room for a companion to ride with you in the air ambulance, so you will be able to have someone to hold your hand, comfort you, and chat with you throughout the flight. This can be critical in helping you maintain your mental health and strength as you head to your next round of treatments. This mode of transportation allows you to have someone with you who can help explain your medical history to doctors and nurses.

In many cases, there is room in the ground transport ambulance for a companion, as well, which means that your loved one will not need to worry about finding alternative transportation, and you will not have to worry about being without family during the ground transport.

Trained medical staff on board can keep your loved one apprised of your condition throughout the flight, even if you decide to take a nap to calm your nerves. Your vitals and medical condition will be closely monitored, ensuring you receive the best possible medical care throughout the air medical transport.

If your medical facility has to move someone using air ambulance services, the issue is most likely critical. While you are completely focused on getting your patient where he or she needs to be, in the shortest amount of time possible, the family has their own concerns, as does the patient.

Insurance: Do your air ambulance services take insurance? While the primary concern is to get the patient to a place where they can be treated as quickly as possible, and the family does appreciate that, your patient might also appreciate not having an enormous bill to pay for transport. Not all air ambulance services take insurance, so you may want to address this issue in the beginning.

Communication with the Family: How good are your services about keeping the family informed? These are the people who love the person who is being transported. In an air ambulance situation, they want to have play-by-play information, if and when that is possible. Even though the primary concern is the patient and not the family, a good bedside manner to patients, as well as their families, never hurts. Since you already know you will hear about it later if this issue is not handled properly, you might as well make sure it is not going to be a concern. When family members get worried, they also get anxious and angry. They are going to look for someone to be angry with — and if you are the one closest, you will get the brunt. You are better off to make sure they keep informed.

There are a variety of cell phone plans to choose from. You may have to pay for every text you send. You may have an unlimited plan that not only allows you to text as much as you want, but also allows you to get on the Internet, download free apps, and have lengthy long distance conversations without having to pay any more than the same monthly free every month. No matter how good your cell phone plan is, it probably does not cover the cost of air ambulance services.

Air ambulance services are just a small part of the whole package you are going to have to pay for when you are using your cell phone to text while you are driving. Of all the things you could be doing that you should not be doing while you are driving, texting is probably right up there in the top three.

On top of air ambulance services, you can expect to pay hospital bills, testing, specialist bills, and any other medical bills that are going to become a big part of your life after you text and drive. Of course, that does not include any legal fees or sudden rises in your insurance rates. When you consider the legal fees, do not forget to include any fines that you get in states where texting and driving is illegal, and lawsuits that may be the result of you hitting someone else. All of those bills are on the optimistic side of things. How is that cell phone plan looking, now?

There are instances in which your health insurance will cover the cost of air ambulance services. In most cases, medical necessity must be shown and the individual (patient) must be going to a facility that provides a higher level of care. At Air Critical Care, we work closely with all major comprehensive insurance companies including Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Aetna, AIG and others. We pride ourselves on taking care of all of the coordination for the family, and this includes working directly with your insurance company to determine whether or not they will cover our services and whether we can accept their letter of guarantee. You are only responsible for the amount that is NOT covered by your insurance company.

Once the trip is complete, our Insurance Specialist will submit all claims and will work with you to obtain reimbursement from your insurance company. All you have to do is provide our experienced team members with the necessarily insurance information prior to the trip so that we can work to help you get this sorted out quickly. Call Air Critical Care at 1-800-550-0674 for more information on our air ambulance services.

Air Critical Care is a leading air ambulance company with well over 30 years more experience treating and transporting patients than our competitors. What sets us apart is our attention to every detail and every one of your needs – from bedside to bedside. We are available and ready to help coordinate transport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. One of our experienced Patient Care Coordinators is standing by and always available to discuss your needs and help you come up with a plan that works for you and your family. We are licensed and insured, and pay close attention keeping our costs competitive. Call 1-800-550-0674 or 954.406.8181 (International) to speak with a member of our team today. Here are just a few reasons we are the first choice in an Air ambulance company:

Are you seeking medical care outside of the country? If you or someone you love already has medical issues that are so extreme you need to leave the country to take care of them, you might want to stop and consider all the details of the trip.

Do you need a passport? When you need to go into a foreign country, you most likely need to have your passport on hand. If you plan to stay a while for medical treatment, you may need to apply for a visa. It is best to learn of these details before you leave the country. One way to find out all the details you need to know is to contact the American Embassy in that country. They tend to stay well informed about such details.

Where will you stay? Do you already have lodging? If your loved one is going to be staying in a medical facility, that is fine for him or her, but you need to make sure you have a place to stay, as well. You might try contacting the medical facility to ask if they can be of assistance with information about accommodations near the facility.

How are you getting there? Air medical transport is probably the safest and most affordable way to go, as long as you choose air medical transport that takes insurance and has no hidden fees. In this way, you can also avoid long lines at the airport, as well. You will also rest easy knowing that your loved one has medical care on hand if needed.