Tips for Air Ambulance Travelers

Unlike commercial airline travelers, air ambulance passengers have difficulty finding guidelines and tips about their upcoming flights. Here you will find a general description of air medical services, tips for travelers, and security regulations.

Some General Air Ambulance Descriptions

Air ambulance services are meant for situations that are inaccessible by the conventional emergency medical services. Private and/or charter jets can also be hired directly by patients or travel agents who need to coordinate travel over unfavorable and long terrain. There are times when this is the only form of transportation that can be used. The term used to refer to all these operations vary from state to state, but include MEDEVAC, aeromedical transportation, air evacuation, and life support flights.

Tips for Travelers

Talk to your flight director or travel agent to ensure that the following minimum standards are met:

The crew members are provided with all they equipment that they need to take care of their passenger. They even have equipment such as ventilators, ECG and monitoring unit, medication, stretchers and CPR equipment. It comes with unique features that ensure that the patient has the best medical care on offer.

The aircraft are designed for the transportation and treatment of medical patients. They also offer their services to people who need urgent medical assistance away from their home. There should be a mattress pad for the patients comfort. The authorities require all the aircraft to have a mattress of not less than two inches although there are some that have thicker alternatives. With the right modifications, an aircraft is able to carry state of the art medical equipment. The technology used by the crew is dependent on the service provider of your choice.

In case the patient needs to be constantly monitored, there is a bracket that can be used to secure the necessary equipment. Go for companies that have features that make it possible to monitor the patients condition even when they are boarding or getting off the plane. A bracket is important because it is used to hold the equipment in place. It is very easy for someone to be injured by devices that are loose during the flight. Some of the service providers just sit the equipment in one of the open seats.

A reliable company makes sure that they have an adjustable knee lift. This feature ensures that their patient does not slide off the stretcher during ascent and descent. In addition to that, the patient is also able to enjoy a comfortable flight. A lot of patients experience discomfort while placed on the stretcher; the knee lift is a good way of offering them relief.

Getting the patient on and off the aircraft is not an easy process. The medical team, patient and family are usually under a lot of stress. It is better for you to hire a company that use mechanical systems to handle this task because it is easier this way. There are some companies that do not have this option because their aircraft have not been modified to handle the systems.

Make sure that the service provider has an airborne critical care unit. They should be equipped with enough resources to handle their passenger with care. Patients are often stressed and anxious about using air ambulance services. A professional company makes sure that they care for the patient physically and emotionally. They may use stress relieving methods to ensure that the patient is at ease.

Safety Regulations

General aviation security practices are less strictly regulated than commercial flights. However, there are still certain requirements that must be followed. For those with medical conditions or disabilities, restrictions on fluids permitted on the flight are considerably relaxed. For example, passengers on MEDEVAC or air ambulance flights are allowed to bring liquids over 3 ounces on board as long as these items are declared.

There are so many service providers in the industry that ignore the patient’s needs, be careful when hiring such services.