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MedFlight911 specializes in finding the right medical flight provider (and the right form of transport) at the lowest possible cost. We can do that in part because we have a large, worldwide network of the top medical transport providers.

But even then, the fact is that medical transport – by air ambulance, commercial air medical escort, or ground medical escort – is expensive.

Sometimes a patient’s health insurance provider will help pick up the tab (though not always). Next week I want to go into that discussion (“How can I find out if my health insurance policy covers air medical transport?”) in detail. Today, though, I want to talk about another kind of insurance that might cover medical air transport: travel insurance.

A few weeks ago Dr. Tim Stevenson, Aviation Medical Examiner at Virgin Atlantic, set out 8 tips for safe and healthy summer travel. #1: Take out travel insurance. “Many people don’t realise the real cost of medical emergencies abroad. For example, an air ambulance on the USA’s East Coast can cost up to £45,000. Travellers should ensure they take out adequate travel insurance. . .”

Stevenson, of course, was speaking from the perspective of a Brit travelling to the U.S. But the same principle holds true for Americans travelling internationally: if you have a medical emergency in some other country, how are you going to get home? And how are you going to pay for it?

What is travel insurance? Travel insurance covers medical expenses (including emergency medical flight evacuation), financial default of travel suppliers, and other losses incurred while traveling domestically or internationally. Temporary travel insurance can usually be arranged to cover exactly the duration of your trip; or a "multi-trip" policy can cover an unlimited number of trips within a set time frame.

Some notes on travel insurance coverage of air ambulance services:

• Policies don’t typically cover “pre-existing conditions” (or, put another way, the illness or injury that necessitates your medical flight back to the U.S. must have been “unforeseen”). If you’re ill before you leave, your travel insurance carrier may deny coverage. Similarly, if you’re travelling to receive medical care somewhere else (often called “medical tourism”) travel insurance probably won’t pay for emergency medical air transport back home.
• Typically, the insurance case manager and the receiving physician must agree that air medical transport is “medically necessary.”
• Buy just the coverage you need. As it is with any insurance policy, it’s hard to say exactly how much coverage is “just right” (not too little, not too much). Your best bet is to work with the travel insurance provider to determine how much coverage is right for your unique situation, given factors such as your destination, your age, and your general state of health.

The cost of travel insurance varies, but is often relatively reasonable (especially given the range of coverage it provides – even beyond medical air transport). Most travel agencies and travel reservation websites (Orbitz or Expedia, for example) offer travel insurance options when you book.

Another alternative is to buy a membership plan with a company like Medjet Assist (who we’ve worked with before). It’s not a travel insurance plan, but rather a “medical evacuation membership program” which covers medical transport services at zero cost to the member. (And with far fewer of the exclusions you’ll find with typical insurance policies.) Membership fees start at $95 for coverage over a short, specified time frame; annual family coverage worldwide starts at $385.

A couple of weeks ago we wrote about whether or not insurance covers air ambulance service.  With health insurance companies, the discussion typically boils down to one factor: medical necessity.  But medical necessity can be a matter of opinion.  In some cases, for example, insurance companies have said that transporting a patient to be with family members for convalescent care is not medically necessary but rather “at the convenience of the family.”  We’d like to challenge that notion.

Many medical professionals agree with us.  In a number of reports on traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and even chronic illness, medical researchers have found that being in a “normal” environment with family members and friends leads to a speedier recovery than being in an unfamiliar environment with unfamiliar people.

• “It has been well demonstrated through ‘The Coping and Adaptation Theory’ that when a patient has experienced a traumatic series of events being away from a ‘normal environment’ the efficacy of their care, treatment, and rehabilitation produce far inferior results than the counterpart.”  (Stacey Hoffman Barone)
• “Patients with chronic illness can benefit when their family members support them in managing their care.”  (California Health Care Foundation)
• “You [the family member] and the person with brain injury are important members of the health care team. Active participation in treatment and rehabilitation is essential to recovery. The involvement of other family members, caregivers, friends and co-workers also can help the person with brain injury successfully return home and to the community.”  (Mayo Clinic)

Many of the air ambulance medical flights that we provide are to reunite family members with their loved ones.  In one case an older woman had been spending the winter in Arizona when she suffered a debilitating stroke; we arranged a medical flight for her back to the East Coast.  In another case a man had been in Nebraska when his chronic breathing condition severely worsened; we arranged a commercial air medical escort back to Bulgaria.

Being with family members in a “normal” environment (rather than in a facility with no familiar faces) matters on a number of levels.  In part, it takes away the anxiety we all feel when we’re alone and lets the patient concentrate on recovery.  Being with family can also give patients a boost of strength and determination – both key factors in recovery.

So from our perspective, at least, being with loved ones when recovering from a traumatic injury or illness is not a matter of convenience; it’s a matter of necessity.

Here at MedFlight911, we believe that top-notch air ambulance service starts with having top-notch people.  So I’m really happy to congratulate our Medical Director Dr. Charles A. “Chip” Finch Jr., D.O. for his recent appointment to the Des Moines University Board of Trustees.  As Medical Director, Dr. Finch provides medical oversight to all patients treated and transported by MedFlight911.

In addition to serving as our Medical Director, Dr. Finch is a partner and staff physician in the department of emergency medicine at Scottsdale Emergency Associates, and in pediatric emergency medicine at Maricopa Medical Center.  He has received a variety of accolades, including being named the 2011 Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association Physician of the Year and 2011 DMU College of Osteopathic Medicine Alumnus of the Year.

Dr. Finch also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association and the Board of Directors for the American Lung Association of Arizona.  He holds faculty and committee positions at the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he is chair of the integrative medicine department; A.T. Still University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona; Midwestern University College of Osteopathic Medicine; and DMU, where he is an adjunct clinical assistant professor.

Dr. Finch also serves on the board of directors of Stepping Stones of Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing care and education to grieving children, families, adults and communities. He is the founder and camp director of Camp Paz, a Stepping Stones program in which grieving adults and children come together to heal in a safe environment (an incredible program that MedFlight911 is proud to support).

We’ve said it many times before, but we understand how stressful and scary it can be for the patient and his or her loved ones when they’re in a situation to need an air ambulance or air medical escort.  It’s our job to take the fear and uncertainty out of the transport process, making the entire experience as seamless and stress-free as possible.  To make that happen we rely on the best doctors, paramedics, nurses, and support staff, all of whom are passionate about patient care.  People like Dr. Finch.

Lately, there's been a lot of talk in the healthcare industry about treating patients, including air ambulance patients, as consumers. In other words, patients are being encouraged to take a more active and informed role in their healthcare decisions, with medical professionals seen as providers who are selling a service.

What does that mean for an air ambulance provider like MedFlight911? More informed patients is a great goal – one we fully support. But as we move toward thinking of the patient as a consumer, it's also important to keep in mind that the patient is a person first, and a consumer second. 

At MedFlight911, our patients are more than just clients – they're like family. From the moment a patient or family member calls and speaks with one of our air medical transport specialists, we put their needs first. Our job is to make the medical transport process straightforward, handling all the details so that our clients have less to worry about during an already stressful time.

Why is it important to realize that a patient is more than just a consumer? Consider this excerpt from an opinion piece by New York Times columnist Paul Krugman:

"Medical care, after all, is an area in which crucial decisions – life and death decisions – must be made. Yet making such decisions intelligently requires a vast amount of specialized knowledge. Furthermore, those decisions often must be made under conditions in which the patient is incapacitated, under severe stress, or needs action immediately, with no time for discussion, let alone comparison shopping."

At MedFlight911, we understand that patients and their families aren't in a position to act as if they were car shopping. They may be scared, stressed, and confused, and they need more than just medical transport – they need support from skilled professionals who they can trust. That's why we see ourselves as more than just an air medical transport service provider, and our clients as more than just consumers.

Take for example a patient we transported by air ambulance recently. She had been seriously injured in a car accident; the doctors at her current hospital had been able to treat and stabilize her but she had to be transferred to another facility to receive the specialized care she needed to fully recover. When her family contacted us to arrange a transport, they had many questions, and we worked closely with them to get them the answers they needed. At the same time, we also took the lead in communicating with both the departing and receiving facilities in order to ensure a smooth trip for the patient. We did everything we could to make the transport process as simple as possible, so that the patient and her family were able to concentrate on what really mattered to them – her recovery.

That kind of one-on-one, personalized service is at the core of the services MedFlight911 provides. When you choose to work with us, you’re getting more than just an air ambulance medical transport. You're also getting a relationship with people who will serve as your partner and advocate through the entire transport process. Our service begins with you.

You can find out more about MedFlight911's air ambulance services in our earlier blog posts, or go ahead and give us a call at 888-359-1911 or get a no-obligation transport quote here.

The busiest travel days of the year are behind us now (or ahead of us, I suppose, since it’s now 2012), but countless travelers with disabilities or medical conditions will nonetheless continue to encounter difficulty when passing through security.  I’ve written about this topic before, but it keeps coming up, so here are 4 FAQs on flying with a disability or medical condition, medical device screening, and the value of air medical transport.

1. If I have a disability or medical condition, can I bring liquid medication on the plane?

Yes. All passengers are allowed to bring small amounts of liquid on the plane, and some types of liquids are allowed in larger amounts for passengers with disability and medical conditions, including:

·    All prescription and over-the-counter medications (liquids, gels, and aerosols) including petroleum jelly, eye drops, and saline solution for medical purposes;

·    Liquids including water, juice, or liquid nutrition or gels for passengers with a disability or medical condition;

·    Life-support and life-sustaining liquids such as bone marrow, blood products, and transplant organs;

·    Items used to augment the body for medical or cosmetic reasons such as mastectomy products, prosthetic breasts, bras or shells containing gels, saline solution, or other liquids; and

Frozen items are allowed as long as they are frozen solid when presented for screening. If frozen items are partially melted, slushy, or have any liquid at the bottom of the container, they must meet 3-1-1 requirements.

However, per Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations, “if the liquid medications are in volumes larger than 3.4 ounces (100ml) each, they may not be placed in the quart-size bag and must be declared to the Transportation Security Officer. A declaration can be made verbally, in writing, or by a person's companion, caregiver, interpreter, or family member. Declared liquid medications and other liquids for disabilities and medical conditions must be kept separate from all other property submitted for x-ray screening.”

2. If I’m in a wheelchair, do I still have to go through security?

Yes. Passengers in wheelchairs should have a wheelchair attendant to help them through security.  They’ll go to the front of the security line, or through the flight crew line.  The TSA is still required to do a security check on the passenger, but instead of going through the metal detector like most of us typically do, the passenger goes directly to the side area where they will be scanned by a TSA official with a handheld scanning device.

3. Can I bring a medical device, like an oxygen concentrator, on the plane?

Generally, yes.  Here the rules are a bit different for getting through security than actually getting on the plane. The TSA recommends but does not require passengers to have documentation of their disability or medical condition in order to proceed through security with a medical device or the liquids listed above (though passengers should be prepared to answer questions about their disability, condition, and devices/medications for TSA personnel).

But to get on the airplane with a medical device like an oxygen concentrator or wheelchair, special documentation called a medical fit-to-fly information form (MEDIF) is required.  Unfortunately, we’ve seen and heard about many passengers who were hassled or even denied boarding because they didn’t have the proper documentation. 

That’s one reason why having an air medical transport escort can significantly reduce the stress of traveling with a medical condition or disability: the medical escort knows the ins and outs of all the rules and regulations, which can vary by airline and even by airport.  At MedFlight911 Air Ambulance, we know the documentation that’s required, the people we need to talk to, and the steps we need to take to ensure that our patients and all of their medical supplies make it safely and comfortably onto the airplane.

4. If I have an implanted medical device with metal in it, will I be able to pass through security?

This question is actually personal; my mother has cancer, and has a cancer port with metal in its construction implanted in her chest. When she flew in November to visit relatives back East, the TSA screener was unfamiliar that such a device existed and so he put my mother through an unnecessary amount of additional screening until a supervisor who was familiar with it finally stepped in.

Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do to improve the familiarity of TSA screeners with medical devices, but passengers can learn what to say to the TSA screener.  And here is another case where having an air medical transport escort who knows very clearly all of the TSA regulations regarding medical devices can help a lot.

To learn more, check out the blog post Can’t I Just Take My Sick/Injured Loved One on a Plane Myself? or get started with your air ambulance transfer request now.

 

When an air ambulance provider arrives at the departing facility (the hospital or wherever the patient is leaving from) we take over care, and continue care until we drop the patient off at the receiving facility and the doctors and nurses there take over.  Sometimes, we have to do a lot of work with the care team at the departing facility to prepare the patient for the air medical transport.  That was the case with 10-year old Ryan.

Last fall Ryan was playing with his brother in the woods outside their home in a small town in Indiana.  He was chasing after a bird when he slipped and fell, hard.  His brother helped him up and rushed him home.  His mom got him to the nearest hospital, where they did a CT scan but weren’t able to determine whether Ryan had sustained a serious injury that could become life-threatening.  So the doctors decided that Ryan needed to see a specialist surgeon; the nearest was in Chicago.

Air medical transport to Chicago

I was part of the critical care flight crew on the air medical transport that day.  We knew going in that the case was a complicated one, and that the nurses and doctors had all been focused on the boy’s injury.  When we arrived at the hospital, we conducted our standard patient assessment and found that Ryan had an infiltrated IV – the IV fluid was leaking into the skin rather than going into the vein.

We all agreed it was important that Ryan have a functional IV before we took him on the air ambulance. Yet Ryan had already had multiple procedures and was really scared about being poked and prodded any more (it’s hard for kids, of course, to understand that the doctors and nurses are trying to help).  His mom, too, was fearful of more procedures that would cause more pain.

I remembered a similar situation from years back with a child we were transporting on the air ambulance who also had an infiltrated IV when we arrived to pick him up.  Working from that experience, we got some very warm towels and wrapped them around Ryan’s arms; the plan was that the warmth would flush Ryan’s skin and we would be able to find a good vein for the IV.

When we unwrapped the towels, though, still no vein.  Ryan was so scared and upset that his veins had constricted.  So we tried everything to take his attention off the situation, reduce his anxiety, allow the warm towels to flush Ryan’s skin and identify an IV location.  We were all very nervous, I can’t lie – there was a lot of pressure! – but we got the IV in.

Ryan was happy (because the IV was no longer painful), his mom was happy (knowing that Ryan would be getting the fluids he needed) and we were off to Chicago in the air ambulance.  In the end, Ryan’s injury was not as severe as we had all feared, and now he’s back home and just about the same as before (if a bit more cautious).

For air ambulance providers, experience matters

So what’s the message here?  It’s that experience – for an air ambulance provider or any medical professional – matters a lot.  In times of stress, when the going gets rough, we fall back on our experience.  And at MedFlight911, we believe that our air medical transport crew should have a lot of experience to fall back on – and we all do.  So that our patients are in the best of hands, no matter what arises.

*As always, the stories I write about here are true, though I often change names and locations to protect the privacy of our air medical transport patients.

I must admit that having a Facebook account for businesses nowadays has helped so many entrepreneurs establish their market base fast. Getting your market niche in such sites is easier because one can be instantly directed to target markets and potential customers. However, there are things that an entrepreneur must remember when using these powerful tools. Here are three insights written by my colleagues who are research paper writers of a business academy.

* Update your account more than once a week. This is one of the simplest things to do, but many online sellers fail because they couldn't do it for sorts of reasons.

* Make use of the opportunity that a social networking site is interactive. If your contacts or friends cannot relate to you in one of two ways, expect that the number of your fans or followers will drop.

* Stop over-selling your products. You can not make your contacts feel that you exist in their list to be able to sell something to them. They will eventually find you boring, unreliable as a contact, and annoying.

Just my two cents worth.

On most MedFlight911 air ambulance flights, the medical crew consists of at least two people: a critical care nurse and a critical care paramedic.  Sometimes there is also a doctor, a respiratory therapist, and/or other specialist, depending on the patient’s particular needs. That medical flight crew is responsible for the patient from the moment they begin their journey with us to the time they arrive at their final destination.

With so much riding on their shoulders, it's critical that our crew has the expertise to respond to whatever situation may arise. And not only do our flight nurses need to be familiar with all standard nursing procedures, but they also must be able to care for patients in the unique air ambulance environment – an extra challenge.

Air ambulance flight crew training is key

Because the air ambulance medical crew works with a wide variety of patients, including newborns, pregnant women, cardiac patients, organ transplant patients, children, and the elderly, they need skills and training in all areas of critical care nursing and paramedics. Every member of the MedFlight911 air medical crew must meet certain qualifications; we all have certifications in, at the least: 

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP)
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
• Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS)

Our flight nurses may also have the following advanced certifications:

• Certified Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN)
• Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)
• Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN)
• Transport Nurse Advance Trauma Course (TNATC)

Each of our critical care nurses and paramedics also receives altitude physiology, pharmacology, toxicology, and survival training, and they learn how to recognize flight stressors, manage oxygen therapy during a transport, and use the specialized medical equipment that's found on our air ambulances.

Finally, because we want our medical crew to be up-to-date on the latest treatment approaches, we also require regular continuing education (100 hours per year, in fact) as well as advanced training in areas like hazardous materials recognition and response, infection control, emergency care, invasive procedures (such as intubations), and labor and delivery.

The medical crew must be adaptable

As a critical care flight nurse or paramedic, you’re responsible for treating a range of patients with a range of medical issues, so adaptability is key.  Our medical crew can respond to a range of situations, including burn, cardiac, neonatal, environmental and respiratory emergencies, and pediatric trauma.  Even during the trip situations can, and often do arise that require flexibility and adaptability that require the kind of experience and training our medical crew has. 

So being an air ambulance nurse or paramedic isn't a job for the faint of heart. Our medical transport team members face high-stress situations on a daily basis. But because of their skills and experience, they're able to do their jobs like the pros they are. At MedFlight911, we make sure our flight nurses and paramedics have the training they need to provide care in the unique air ambulance environment, because we know that's what it takes to best serve our patients.

You can find out more about MedFlight911's air ambulance services in our earlier blog posts, or go ahead and give us a call at 888-359-1911 or get a no-obligation transport quote here.

Most people have never flown on a traditionally-configured private jet, let alone a medically-configured air ambulance.  So we completely understand that patients and their family members who are preparing for air medical transport with us have lots of questions about the air ambulance aircraft they’ll be flying on.  We’ve listed five of the most common questions – and our answers – here.  If you have additional questions, please give us a call at 888-359-1911.

1. Are family members allowed?

In most cases, yes.  When we have our initial conversation we’ll ask about whether there might be other passengers accompanying the patient, and we’ll factor that into our aircraft recommendation.  (Some of the smaller aircrafts cannot accommodate anyone besides the flight crew, medical crew, and patient; others can accommodate a number of passengers). Of course, our primary concern is getting the patient where he or she needs to go, safely and quickly; if the available aircraft cannot accommodate passengers, we will help those passengers make other arrangements.

2. Can I bring luggage?

Due to the limited space in the aircraft, luggage is limited to one carry-on per person (no larger than 22”x14”x9” – a typical carry-on size) unless otherwise noted by the MedFlight911 transport coordinator.  If the patient and/or accompanying passenger(s) need to transport more luggage than that, we are happy to help make those arrangements.  For more information, refer to How Much Luggage Can I Bring on an Air Ambulance?

3. Will food be served?

While in the air, basic drinks and snacks are available. A full meal may be provided on flights longer than 5 hours; this will be discussed as part of the pre-flight procedures.  Remember that the only people on board the aircraft are the pilot and co-pilot, the medical crew – typically a flight nurse and paramedic – the patient, and maybe a passenger (patient’s family member).  There are no flight attendants.  While our mission is of course a comfortable flight for everyone on board, our focus is always on the health and safety of the patient, and all decisions about meals and otherwise will be made in the best interest of the patient.

4. Can I bring a pet with me on the air medical transport?

We understand that this is a scary, stressful time for the patient, and that the presence of a beloved pet can help to ease that stress and fear.  While we will always make the decision that is best for the patient’s safety and health, we will work with you to find an air ambulance solution that can accommodate a small pet in an approved pet carrier (the pet will not be allowed out of the carrier during the flight).  Of course, the decision depends on the patient’s medical condition, the size and type of pet, the aircraft, and the duration of the flight.  To avoid disappointment or misunderstandings, please discuss any pet arrangements with your MedFlight911 transport coordinator.

5. Is there a bathroom on the air ambulance?

Most medically-configured aircraft are not equipped with lavatories.  This is not typically an issue for patients, as they usually are not up and about using the restroom.  For any passengers accompanying the patient, we highly recommend using the restroom prior to boarding the aircraft.  In some cases – if the patient will be traveling on a heavy jet, for example – lavatories may be available on the air ambulance.  Check with your MedFlight911 transport coordinator regarding specially equipped aircraft. 

Overall, it’s really important to remember that even on a medium-sized air ambulance like a Lear Jet, when it’s configured to provide acute medical care, there is very little extra room.  This is almost nothing like a commercial airliner, or even much like a Lear Jet that is not equipped with a stretcher base, medical monitors, medications, oxygen, and other medical equipment.

So the doctor says your loved one needs to get to a medical facility in another country/state/city.  How will you get them there?  In this 2-part series learn the 10 steps in arranging air medical transport for yourself or your loved one.

1. Choose a receiving facility

The facility – hospital, rehab center, care facility, etc. – where the patient is currently at is called the “departing facility.”  The “receiving facility,” then, is the place where the patient is going.  In most cases, the patient’s doctor, case manager, or social worker will have already recommended the receiving facility, and will help the patient and family make arrangements with that facility.

2. Choose an air ambulance provider

Now, how to get there?  Depending on the severity of the patient’s medical condition, if the receiving facility is relatively close – within a radius of a couple hundred miles – then a ground ambulance or helicopter ambulance (also called a rotor wing air ambulance) might be the right mode of transportation; MedFlight911 and most other air ambulance providers do not offer either of those services.

But if the patient is travelling outside a radius of 300 miles or so then he or she will need either an air ambulance medically-configured private jet, an air medical escort on a commercial flight, or a medically-configured motor coach.  Many air ambulance providers, like MedFlight911, provide that range of medical transport options.

Beyond determining whether you need a ground, helicopter, or air ambulance, how do you choose a provider?  Of course the decision is important – the life of the patient is in that provider’s hands.  Yet it can be hard on the Internet to tell which provider is best.  First choose a small handful of providers who seem like they might be good – based on the information they provide on their website or a recommendation from a case manager – and then call them.  A conversation will tell you a lot. 

For more detail on choosing an air ambulance provider, see 5 Questions to Ask an Air Ambulance Provider.

3. Give the air ambulance provider background information – we’ll ask all the right questions

Once you’ve chosen the air ambulance provider, you’ll need to give their transport coordinator detailed information about where the patient is now (departing facility), where the patient needs to go (receiving facility) and the patient’s medical condition.  You’ll also need to give permission for the air ambulance flight coordinator to talk with the patient’s doctors and nurses at both the departing and receiving facilities.  Our air ambulance medical crew will be taking over medical care of the patient between the departing facility and the receiving facility, so we need to have all of the information that the doctors and nurses do.

4. Determine the right form of transport – we’ll help

Based on the patient’s medical conditions, the locations of the departing and receiving facilities, and any other circumstances (family members accompanying the patient, for example), your MedFlight911 transport coordinator will help you determine the form of transport that is best for the patient.  In some cases, it will be an air ambulance – a medically-configured jet.  In other cases, it will be an air medical transport escort who accompanies the patient on a commercial flight.  Or, it could be a medically-configured motor coach.

This is not a decision that you’ll make on your own.  Based on our experience and expertise, a full knowledge of the factors described above, and an understanding of insurance and other financial-related factors, we will recommend that medical transport option that is best for the patient.  For more detail on choosing the right form of medical transport, see How Do I Decide Which Type of Medical Transport Is Right for Me (or My Loved One)?

To read more about the MedFlight911 medical transport process, click here to request a copy of our “What to Expect” informational flyer.  And stay tuned for Friday’s blog with steps 5-10.