Who Needs an Air Ambulance?
We all hope that we never experience a trauma or medical emergency
that requires treatment. No one ever thinks they will be force to deal
with a severe or critical medical condition that requires extensive
medical treatment and care. Although we never want to be in such a
circumstance, it is important to be informed about such issues. When
patients require medical attention during transport, the typical method of
travel involves an ambulance, but in specific cases, standard medical
transportation is not enough. An air ambulance may be just what the doctor
ordered.
What medical conditions and critical situations call for
the use of an air ambulance? Each case is different based on the specific
medical needs of the patient. There is no exact rule of thumb, but some
basic guidelines do exist to determine which patients require the use of
an air ambulance.
If the patient's doctor feels that the patient
should not travel by air with conventional airlines due to their specific
medical needs, the doctor will order travel by an air ambulance. Numerous
companies and organizations exist to safely transport patients in this
way. Each company has their own specific requirements for staff on board
the flight. Special medical circumstances may call for specific medical
teams to fly aboard the air ambulance with the patient.
Here are
some examples of medical conditions that may indicate a need to travel by
air ambulance:
*Patients suffering from respiratory conditions that
require ventilators
*trauma patients
*patients with
neurological conditions that require intra cranial monitoring
*IABP
patients that require balloon pumps
*patients with multiple IV
drips
*transplant patients
*obstetric patients requiring
intensive care
*NICU patients
The patients that require
continuous medical monitoring and the use of specialized medical equipment
are excellent candidates for travel by air ambulance. There is no
plausible way for a patient with severe medical conditions to travel by
conventional methods while achieving comfort and appropriate medical
care.
When time is of the essence, standard flights would not be
speedy enough to safely transport a patient to their destination. Also, it
is impossible to spontaneously board a conventional flight with an entire
medical staff and equipment. For this reason, doctors and patients choose
to travel by air ambulance.
Air ambulance services are most
commonly thought of as the helicopters that fly accident victims from the
scene of a car crash to the nearest hospital that is capable of providing
proper treatment for the severe injuries sustained in the crash. On the
contrary, air ambulance services include so much more than just this
sector of service.
An air ambulance may be a chopper, but it also
can include planes such as turboprops and jets.
The type of
aircraft used should be determined by the patients needs, as well as, by
the distance traveled. For example, a patient should typically be
transported by a jet when they require air ambulance transportation for
distances greater than 500 miles. This is due to the time traveled,
necessary stops to refuel small planes, the patient's comfort and stress
level.
Traveling by air ambulance may not be an experience that you
want to add to your to-do list, but it may be medically necessary in the
future. Patients who require constant medical attention, the use of
specific medical equipment, or have numerous IV drips may require the use
of such services. Should the doctor feel that this specialized service is
beneficial, you will be glad that the air ambulance services are
available.
Get expert advice about air ambulance at http://www.articlefog.com/category-air-ambulance.htm.
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what is the cost of air ambulance transport,
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Article Source: www.ArticleFog.com.
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