Almost half of all undocumented immigrants are uninsured, compared to just 8% of U.S. citizens, according to a 2021 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation. If undocumented international patients are insured, their insurance may not cover rehabilitation or long-term care after discharge or repatriation services if they can't travel home alone. The best option for hospitals and patients may be international patient repatriation, but it can come with some big challenges.
To streamline the process for patients and hospitals, SentinelMED offers comprehensive international patient repatriation. Our team has decades of aero-medical experience, and the specialized skills provide safe and cost-effective transport for patients.
Here are the services that our international patient repatriation solution includes:
Care. Our logistics professionals regularly work with consulates, embassies, and charity organizations across the globe. They have experience helping arrange for patients to receive appropriate continuation of care once they are home.
Documentation. Our team helps secure travel documents for undocumented patients or those with expired documents, and members of our medical staff who will escort the patient to their home countries and help reunite them with their families.
Transport. We secure the safest, most cost-effective means for repatriating patients. One of the most cost-effective methods of transport is by commercial aircraft, and members of our team have established relationships with most major airlines.
How SentinelMED’s Solution Helps Hospitals & Patients
SentinelMED helps hospitals reduce the length of stay for international patients and ultimately contain costs associated with caring for undocumented and uninsured international patients. Patients who are uninsured may not be able to pay hospital bills after an acute injury or accident, let alone the costs associated with outpatient and rehabilitation care.
If an international patient does have insurance, it may not cover the cost of post-discharge care, such as physical therapy or cardiac rehabilitation in the United States. Even if patients don’t require therapy, they may not have family members nearby who can provide support and care after discharge.
An Overview of What International Patient Repatriation Includes
Our comprehensive repatriation services are a complete solution to meet the needs of hospitals and patients. You can count on the SentinelMED team to:
- Identify endpoints needed to safely discharge patients to their home countries
- Communicate with treating and receiving medical teams, patients and family members
- Assist with obtaining necessary travel documents
- Assist with identifying the most appropriate hospital or care facility for accepting the patient
- Determine means of transport and if a medical or nonmedical escort is needed
- Work with commercial airlines to get medical clearances, special boarding, and inflight oxygen as needed for the patient
- Assist our specialized partner travel agency with issuing tickets for the patient
- Provide transparent pre-trip cost estimates and post-transport invoicing
Comprehensive International Patient Repatriation from SentinelMED
As a medical transport assistance company, SentinelMED provides domestic and international medical transport, evacuation, and repatriation services. Our staff also can arrange for trained and experienced medical escorts to accompany travelers and provide basic medical care during transport. We match escorts to patients based on the language they speak and any cultural or religious concerns.
Request a Quote for International Patient Repatriation
Click here to access our International Patient Repatriation Tool. After submitting the form, you will receive a preliminary plan and quote by email.
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.
