Of all the medical transport options, transport by air ambulance is almost always the most expensive. According to FAIR Health, a nonprofit focused on transparency, the price for a private medical helicopter topped $30,000, on average, in 2022. The average cost of transport by fixed wing aircraft was almost $25,000. However, there is another option for medical transport by air – transport on commercial flights. And the advantages of medical transport on commercial flights are considerable.
They include:
Cost. Some health insurance policies may not cover air ambulance transport if the service is not in-network. Compared to the average costs of transport mentioned above, even plane tickets booked on short notice will be considerably less expensive. For people who can sit up, commercial flights can be a safe and comfortable form of transport. Some international airlines even allow “stretcher transport” and will remove seats in a row to allow a patient to lie down.
Convenience. The Federal Aviation Administration provides service to 45,000 flights within the United States each day. Globally, there were 16 million flights in 2020. Those are big numbers, showing the wide availability of commercial flights. In fact, 90 percent of people in the United States live within 30 minutes of an airport. A medical transport service, such as SentinelMED, can help arrange ground transportation to a nearby airport and coordinate all travel logistics.
One of the convenient advantages of medical transport on commercial flights is that there is more room on a commercial airplane for family members or friends to travel with the patient. Traveling with a loved one can provide peace of mind for everyone involved.
Efficiency. Air ambulances often transport patients in critical condition who need to get to a medical facility as quickly as possible. However, they may not be the most efficient option for patients who are stable and don't need emergency care.
Air ambulance services that use fixed wing air ambulances may be limited to taking off from designated airports and airstrips. Helicopters may also have limitations on where they can land and take off based on local and regional regulations. In some cases, it may be quicker to arrange transport on a scheduled flight than to arrange air ambulance transport, especially if the patient does not require emergency transport.
How a Medical Escort Can Help with Medical Transport on Commercial Flights
As their name suggests, medical escorts accompany people during travel to provide non-emergency medical care and support. At SentinelMED, our medical escorts are registered nurses and doctors, while our non-medical escorts are paramedics or EMTs. We match our escorts with patients according to their medical needs and language or cultural considerations.
Medical escorts travel with patients from discharge at a hospital or medical facility, during airport check-in and screening, during air travel, and to the traveler’s arrival at a receiving health care facility or the home of a caregiver. Our medical escorts can provide medical care, including administering supplemental oxygen and medicine, to ensure the patient’s comfort and safety.
Medical Transportation Services from SentinelMED
SentinelMED provides medical transportation, medical repatriation and medical escort services to individuals who require medical assistance to travel long distances in safety and comfort.
The SentinelMED team understands the complexity of delivering exceptional care to patients who need assistance during travel. Please contact us to learn more about the services that SentinelMED offers or its staff.
