Skilled medical escorts provide essential medical care during travel for people who are ill or injured and offer a patients’ family a cost-effective alternative to transport by air ambulance. But with the different services medical transport companies offer, how can you be sure you’re hiring a skilled medical escort?
The process of finding a skilled medical escort starts with understanding that there are several different ways these services can be provided. These include:
- Medical transport and escort companies. These companies provide a cost-effective alternative to air ambulances. They coordinate with their medical escorts to assist ill or injured patients who need assistance in order to travel. In many cases, medical transport companies work with medical escorts to transport patients on commercial aircraft.
- Air ambulance services. Air ambulance services typically transport patients by helicopter or private fixed-wing aircraft. They most often provide services for patients who are in critical condition or need emergency care, although some also provide medical escort services.
Because the skill levels of medical escorts and the services they provide can vary, family members should do their research carefully and ask questions to learn more about each provider they are considering. These questions should include:
- What kind of experience and training does the medical escort have? Some medical escorts are moonlighting paramedics, while others are emergency room physicians. Family members should choose a medical escort who can handle any potential medical need that may arise for a patient during travel.
- What is the medical escort’s gender and primary language? Some people are more comfortable receiving care from a woman, while others prefer to be helped by a man. In addition, family members should ask potential service providers if they are able to meet the patient’s language and cultural needs.
- Exactly what services will be provided? Questions that should be asked include where the medical escort will meet the patient, if the escort will help with check-in and screening procedures at the airport, and if the escort will accompany the patient to a receiving medical center or the home of a care provider.
- What is the cost? A reputable medical escort company will be able to provide a detailed contract that outlines the services it will provide and the costs associated with them.
Medical Escort Services from SentinelMED
The medical escorts who work for SentinelMED are nurses, physician assistants and physicians who are trained or experienced in emergency and critical care medicine. They work with the SentinelMED team to ensure that patients who are ill, injured or suffering from cognitive impairment can complete long-distance travel in comfort and safety.
SentinelMED also arranges domestic and international medical transport for patients who become sick or injured while traveling, and can provide medical repatriation services for those who have more serious or complicated medical concerns. SentinelMED works closely with hospital case managers to provide door-to-door transportation for patients.
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.
