Air Ambulance VS Medical Escort: The Right Patient Transport Option
In any kind of medical emergency, transportation plays a vital role in ensuring that the patients get the right healthcare on time. With the latest advancements in the medical transportation and assistance industry, there are more than one ways to travel for medical needs. Most people think of an air ambulance when we talk of medical transport. But depending on the urgency of the case, one can even opt to travel on passenger flights accompanied by a medical escort.
A medical escort is a medically trained professional, doctors, nurses or paramedics, who travels with the patient to the desired destination. These qualified professionals monitor the patient’s health during the journey and carry medical equipment and medication to ensure that the patient travels safely and comfortably.
As the patients opting to travel with medical escorts can travel by standard passenger flights, it is crucial that they meet certain criteria of being non-critical cases. This is to ensure both their own and their co-passengers’ safety. They also should be able to sit safely in an upright position during take-off and landing unless a stretcher is being used.
Specialized ambulance aircraft are flexible in this aspect and can transport patients in any state and with any medical condition. Since these aircraft are dedicated to medical care, they are equipped with a large range of medical facilities. The flight crew comprises doctors, nurses, and paramedics specifically trained in intensive care.
Due to the vast difference in the levels of services offered, there is also a corresponding difference in the cost of these two transport options. As is evident, the cost of an air ambulance with the latest equipment and medical personnel will be higher than the cost of traveling with a medical escort.
Patients who require some basic medical care and monitoring during travel and don’t need any urgent medical procedure should ideally opt for a medical escort as it will be an economical means of transportation. However, for patients requiring specialized or immediate medical care, an air ambulance is the safest and most comfortable option.
