| By :
Stephen Daniels
From relatively short domestic trips to long-range international transport, air ambulance services provide the very best in terms of patient care, medical technology and skill - as well as the fastest means available to get both critical and non-critical passengers to their destination. Useful for a wide variety of purposes, air medical transport services offer expertise, state-of-the-art equipment and a compassionate approach to patients' well-being. A fully-trained flight staff has access to the latest in medical technology, materials and treatments to provide patients with the best possible experience. Full-scale intensive care and life support services equivalent to (and sometimes even surpassing) what is available with land-based transport are routine. Many of these air ambulance service companies will carry whatever is essential for the patient, even if the equipment is not standard. Combining spot-on flight coordination with an onboard aeromedical staff, medical flight services deal with both critical and non-emergency situations. Except in cases of extreme local emergency situations, air ambulance flights are planned in advance, offering short-, medium- and long-range trips. Some of these services will even fly globally. Onboard medical personnel include a critical care nurse and a paramedic, both trained to provide the very best in aeromedical care. In terms of technology and materials, onboard staff has access to vital sign monitors, defibrillators, ventilators, IV pumps, resuscitators and oxygen. Other medical equipment includes intubation kits, oropharyngeal airways, pacemakers and stretchers, as well as all manner of medications, linens, gauze and other basic materials. Depending on the company, there are many types of airplanes used to transport patients. These may range from small two-seaters to much larger models capable of carrying more passengers and traveling longer distances. Most businesses have a fleet at their disposal that can accommodate different flight ranges. Services range from moving patients to a location with more comprehensive facilities, to bringing them closer to family members. Frequently these services are hired to transport those who cannot fly commercially due to the constant monitoring required for their particular conditions. It is not unusual to fly patients long distances so they can spend quality time with their families. Because air ambulances are not helicopters, they are rarely used for emergencies such as transporting an accident victim from the site of an incident to an emergency room. They do, however, participate in emergency evacuations during natural disasters and other situations. Above all else, patient care, flight safety and timeliness are the cornerstones of an air medical transport service. Costs vary according to the needs of the patient, as well as the distance and necessary medical supplies. But considering all that they offer, the services are not inexpensive, and are often at least partially covered by insurance. With an air ambulance, great distances are no impediment to getting the care one needs or being closer to family and loved ones.
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