Medical evacuation transfers a stabilized patient from an inadequate medical facility to one that can provide appropriate care. MedAire manages every aspect: determining whether evacuation is warranted, selecting the right receiving hospital from our global network of 89,000+ providers, choosing the safest transport method, and coordinating permits, payments, and logistics across borders.
What aviation professionals need to do: Contact MedAire early. Provide accurate patient details. Stay in communication. Our physicians, nurses, and operations specialists handle everything else around the clock.
A crew member or passenger experiences a serious medical event during travel. They've been stabilized at a local hospital, but the facility lacks the specialized capabilities necessary for optimal care. The critical question becomes: where should they receive treatment, and how can they be transported safely?
This scenario represents one of the most complex challenges aviation professionals may face. Medical evacuations require navigating clinical decisions, international logistics, and transport coordination while prioritizing patient safety above all else.
Here's the good news. Aviation professionals are not expected to become medical evacuation experts. When a potential evacuation situation arises, the essential steps are straightforward: contact MedAire early, provide accurate patient information, and maintain communication throughout the process.
MedAire and our parent company, International SOS, coordinate the thousands of decisions, details, and logistical elements required for safe patient transport. Our team handles the complexity. You continue to focus on safe aircraft operations.
Not every medical situation requires patient transport. This is important to understand. Moving a patient always carries inherent risk, and our physicians must determine whether the potential for improved care justifies that risk.
MedAire doctors assess three critical factors:
This clinical assessment determines whether the patient should remain at the current facility or be transferred to a more appropriate center of care. The decision is based entirely on medical factors and patient safety considerations. Cost doesn't drive it. Convenience doesn't drive it. Patient safety does.
Selecting the receiving facility requires more than identifying the nearest hospital. It requires specific knowledge about what that hospital can actually deliver.
MedAire and our parent company, International SOS, have built a proprietary global database of more than 89,000 medical providers. We developed it through decades of facility assessments and operational experience. This isn't information you can find through a Google search.
Our evaluation includes:
The receiving facility must formally accept the transfer before transport can proceed. MedAire manages this coordination and documents the acceptance to ensure continuity of care. We never assume a bed will be available. We confirm it.
Transport selection is a clinical decision, not a logistical preference. MedAire physicians determine the appropriate method based on the patient's medical stability, required equipment, urgency of care, and tolerance for various forms of transport.
There are three primary options. Each serves different patient needs.
This surprises many people: the majority of MedAire patient transports occur on scheduled commercial airlines. When the patient is medically stable and meets airline medical clearance requirements, commercial transport makes sense.
This option requires coordination across several domains:
Commercial transport provides a cost-effective solution for stable patients while maintaining appropriate medical oversight throughout the journey. It works well when it's appropriate. The keyword is "appropriate."
When patients have access to private or corporate aircraft, MedAire evaluates whether the aircraft can safely accommodate medical transport. This option suits patients who require more specialized care than commercial aviation provides, yet do not meet air ambulance criteria.
MedAire deploys appropriately credentialed medical escorts based on the patient's condition. This might mean critical care nurses, paramedics with advanced certifications, or physicians with relevant specialty experience. The escort matches the medical need.
We also source specialized equipment appropriate for both the patient and aircraft environment. Portable oxygen concentrators with appropriate flow capabilities. Monitoring equipment. Emergency medications. Specialized supplies not typically found on private aircraft.
This method combines the flexibility and privacy of corporate aviation with professional medical oversight to ensure patient safety throughout transport.
Air ambulance becomes necessary when other options won't work safely. Specifically:
MedAire evaluates and secures aircraft based on specific requirements. We look at range and speed. Medical configuration matters: stretcher capacity, oxygen systems, and power supply. We ensure appropriate medical staffing, whether that means physician and nurse teams, respiratory therapists, or specialty teams for particular conditions.
Operational factors also require attention. Runway requirements at both ends. Weather conditions along the route. Airspace permits for each country overflown, and fuel availability at remote locations.
External factors can complicate even well-planned evacuations. Adverse weather, NOTAMS, security incidents, or political situations may necessitate delays or route modifications. MedAire's operations team continuously monitors these variables and develops contingency plans. Patient safety remains the top priority throughout.
Each medical evacuation requires coordination among multiple entities. Treating facilities. Receiving facilities. Transport providers. Ground ambulance services. Customs and immigration authorities. Often, embassy personnel as well.
The list of additional coordination tasks is extensive:
A successful medical evacuation requires extensive knowledge of global medical facilities, a vetted network of transport partners, and logistics specialists who can navigate payment systems, regulatory requirements, and operational complexities across multiple jurisdictions.
This cannot be improvised. The infrastructure takes decades to build.
Aviation professionals contribute most effectively to successful evacuations by providing accurate information promptly and maintaining open communication with the MedAire team.
Start with the patient's current condition. What symptoms are they experiencing right now? Has anything changed in the last few hours? Then share what the treating physician has told you, including their assessment and any recommendations they've made about transport or ongoing care.
For international situations, we need passport details early; immigration coordination stalls without this, and delays compound quickly when multiple countries are involved.
Consider any factors that might influence our transport plans. Does the patient take blood thinners or insulin? Do they have a severe allergy we need to consider? Can they walk, or will they require wheelchair assistance throughout? These details guide decisions about escort credentials, equipment, and even aircraft setup.
If your operation has aircraft available, mention them. We may determine it's not the right fit for the medical situation, but knowing the option exists gives us more flexibility in planning.
The more complete your initial information, the faster we move. Gaps mean missed phone calls, verification delays, and lost time.
MedAire's approach to medical evacuations is backed by 40 years of specialized experience in aviation medicine. Our network includes 28 MedAire and International SOS Assistance Centers worldwide for coordinated localized support.
We support your operation with:
No other provider matches the reach, resources, processes, and operational experience MedAire offers for international medical evacuations.
MedAire handles the clinical decisions, logistical challenges, and operational details. Aviation professionals focus on safe aircraft operations. This clear division of responsibilities ensures the best possible outcomes for everyone involved.
For questions about medical evacuation protocols or to discuss specific scenarios, contact MedAire's Global Response Center. Our team of physicians, nurses, and operations specialists is available 24/7/365 to support your operation whenever medical situations occur.
Contact Us TodayLearn more about medical evacuation best practices and real-world case studies from our expert team.
ACCESS RECORDED WEBINAR