Travel should be enjoyable, at least that’s the theory. In reality, for many people, taking a holiday abroad is the result of months of planning. However, the best-laid plans can often go awry. Unfortunate incidents such as a fall on the hiking trail, a sudden stroke on the beach, or a cardiac event while exploring local history can quickly turn an enjoyable holiday into a complex medical event.
When these events happen far from home, the individual or their loved ones are often introduced to the concept of medical evacuation. Medical evacuation, or medevac for short, is the transfer of an individual from one hospital to another when the appropriate level of care is unavailable, while a medical repatriation is considered desirable for the individual when there’s a need to return home for medical care.
In many cases, the hospital to which the individual is transferred is in another country, where the appropriate level of care is more readily available or where the individual has greater support.
For international travelers, particularly those visiting remote islands, the mountains, or countries with poor healthcare infrastructure, the concept of medical evacuation can be an important part of the care they require.
When medical evacuation becomes necessary
The majority of medical incidents that occur abroad can be treated locally. Many hospitals in the larger cities of Europe, North America, and parts of Asia offer excellent healthcare facilities, and individuals can return home without the need for evacuation.
Medical evacuation becomes relevant in one of the following circumstances:
The first circumstance arises when there is limited medical infrastructure at the patient’s location. This includes holiday destinations such as small islands in the Mediterranean and Africa, and ski resorts in the mountains. The facilities in these areas will be able to provide treatment for patients, but they will not have facilities for surgery, neurological treatment, or heart surgery. The patient will receive treatment in this location and then be transported to another location for further treatment.
The second circumstance arises when the patient requires specialized treatment. This includes situations where the patient has suffered injuries and, even though the hospital has the facilities to provide treatment, the patient requires specialized treatment that can only be provided at certain hospitals. This includes spinal injuries and neurological treatment.
The third circumstance arises when the patient requires continued treatment. This includes situations where the patient needs rehabilitation therapy or long-term medical attention ; while receiving such treatment , they will want to be in their home country, where they can have their loved ones close by and communicate more easily. A medical repatriation is usually required to achieve this.
This will require a medically supervised flight, and the patient will be able to receive continued treatment in their home country.
The medical decision behind an evacuation
Contrary to popular belief, medical evacuation is not just a matter of booking a flight.
The decision to transport a patient should always be made by a medical team of doctors. The doctors will assess the patient’s stability and determine the equipment and facilities required for the flight.
In some cases, the patient can be flown on a commercial flight with a medical escort. In other cases, when the patient needs intensive monitoring, ventilation assistance, or special medical equipment, an air ambulance jet may be necessary.
The medical team is also vital to the patient’s evacuation by air ambulance. The team may include a flight physician, a critical care nurse, or a paramedic, depending on the patient’s condition.
How evacuations are organized
When evacuating patients by medical jets, the organization of the evacuation is the most complex part of the process.
The evacuation process begins when the hospital or a family member contacts the air ambulance service to arrange the patient’s evacuation. The hospital receiving the patient must also be ready to admit the patient by confirming that it has the facilities to do so.
At the same time, the logistics of flying the patient to the destination hospital also begin to take shape. The routes the jet will take, the airports it will use, the necessary approvals it needs to fly, and the ground ambulances required at both the hospital and the airport are also being organized.
In cases where the patient needs to be evacuated to another country, the necessary immigration documents also need to be organized to allow the patient to move from one country to another, as patients flying on stretchers may not be able to move freely. The time it takes to prepare the jet may also be critical, as it can be ready in a matter of hours in urgent cases.
Destinations where medical evacuation is most common
Medical evacuations tend to occur in areas where medical assistance is needed due to inaccessibility or unique geography.
The Mediterranean islands are a prime example. While places like Mykonos, Santorini, and other Greek islands are wonderful vacation spots, their medical facilities may not be adequately equipped to handle serious trauma or intensive long-term treatments.
Safari adventures in Africa are another common destination for medical evacuations. Travellers visiting these places are often far from medical facilities and may need to take a medical flight to a larger city like Nairobi.
Ski resorts in places like Switzerland and Colorado are also common destinations for medical evacuations. Ski accidents can cause serious back injuries or bone fractures that require special medical attention. Such accidents can be treated at hospitals specializing in bone and spine surgery.
Medical stability before transport
Another common misconception about medical evacuation is that it takes place almost immediately after an accident.
However, this is not always possible. The priority of medical teams on the ground is to stabilize the patient before transport. This is essential to ensure the patient’s condition does not worsen during air transport.
This careful process is meant to protect the patient while ensuring that air transport does not pose additional medical risks.
A quiet but essential of travel safety
A medical evacuation is likely the last thing on a traveller’s mind during a vacation. However, it is an essential component of global safety.
Air ambulance services, hospitals, insurance agencies, and medical teams on the ground work together to transport patients across borders when circumstances demand it.
Travelers can always be better prepared by being aware of medical evacuation services and their availability.
Fortunately, such incidents are rare. Millions of travelers around the globe visit different destinations every year without any major incidents.
When a medical evacuation takes place, it is more than just a medical transport service. It is a bridge between a medical crisis and a solution that enables patients to return home and resume their lives.
Article by Adam Mikulski, Managing Director, Medical Air Service
About Medical Air Service
Medical Air Service provides worldwide medical evacuation and medical repatriation services, transporting patients who cannot be treated where they are and transferring them to the required destinations on board fast medical jets or with medical escorts on commercial flights.
