Categories: Commercial Medical EscortMedical TransportationPatient Transport

When to Choose an Air Ambulance vs Commercial Medical Escort

If you’re new to the world of medical transportation, you may see that many air ambulance providers offer two different service options for patients; dedicated air ambulance service as well as commercial medical escorts. To help you understand which of these two options may be the best for you or your loved one, we’ll walk you through the key differences between these two service options.

The Aircraft

One of the biggest differences between these two service options is the aircraft used. A dedicated air ambulance is an aircraft, in our case the Learjet, that is used to transport the patient with only one patient being transported on the aircraft at a time. The aircraft will be flown by two ATP certified pilots and also be staffed by two medical team members to care for the patient during the flight.

With the commercial medical escort service option, the patient will be transported on a commercial airline and be accompanied by a medical specialist. Patients will typically be transported in first-class accommodations for greater comfort during travel.

The Medical Team

With a dedicated air ambulance, the patient will be accompanied by a critical care-trained medical crew with ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support) certifications. The flight crew may consist of a: Physician, Registered Nurse, Paramedic and/or Respiratory Therapist. The appropriate medical crew will be selected based on the specific needs of the patient.

With a commercial medical escort, the patient will be accompanied by one experienced medical professional that will ensure the comfort and care of the patient during the entire transportation process; including ground transportation.

In either medical transportation that AirCARE1 offers, our medical crew provides Holistic medical care to our patients to provide ultimate comfort and peace of mind. We care with empathy and compassion that will make a difference in our patient’s lives.

The Patient’s Condition

Dedicated air ambulances have quite a bit of flexibility and are able to transport most patients with a range of conditions.

With the commercial medical escort service, patients in non-critical conditions must meet the following criteria:

Medically cleared by their treating physician to fly with an accompanying medical companion
Supplemental oxygen therapy does not exceed 5 liters per minute
Free of contagious disease
Free from conditions involving trapped gases (pneumothorax, bowel obstruction, gas embolism, etc.)
Able to sit secured and upright in aircraft seating during taxi, takeoff and landing (unless being transported by stretcher)
Non-combative

The Medical Equipment

When using a dedicated air ambulance, the aircraft will be outfitted with state-of-the-art medical equipment which is comparable to that found in any premier hospital. This allows for the treatment and transportation of a wider range of patients and conditions using an air ambulance.

With a commercial medical escort, a medical specialist will come prepared with a smaller set of FAA approved medical equipment as well as supplemental oxygen. Your selected provider will speak with you in more detail about the patient’s condition to ensure that the FAA approved medical equipment will be sufficient to treat any potential in-flight needs of the patient.

Travel & Insurance Coordination

In both types of medical transportation, air ambulance providers will coordinate every aspect of the journey to ensure the patient successfully reaches their destination. This includes everything from coordinating coverage with your insurance company to arranging ground transportation to and from the airport. Regardless of which option you choose, your selected provider should be able to coordinate every detail to ensure a smooth and stress-free process.

How Much Does A Medical Escort Cost VS Air Ambulance Cost?

Cost can certainly be a big difference between these two medical transportation options. As you can imagine, the cost of a dedicated aircraft with the additional flight and medical staff is higher than that of a commercial medical escort. A typical domestic air ambulance flight will start from $10k. A typical commercial medical escort transporting a patient within the U.S. can range anywhere from $6k to $8k, with the cost of the airline tickets themselves being one of the core variables.

We hope the above comparisons help you better understand the different use cases of air ambulances and commercial medical escorts in the world of air based medical transportation. For any patient that is capable of traveling on a commercial airline, but needs some level of medical assistance, commercial medical escorts can be a very cost-effective mode of transportation. For patients who are unable to fly on a commercial airline due to their particular condition and need access to more specialized medical attention, a dedicated air ambulance is typically the best option.

If you have any additional questions regarding the differences between air ambulances and commercial medical escorts, don’t hesitate to reach out to us and we’d be happy to answer any questions that you have.

Denise Waye

Denise Waye is the Founder and President of AirCARE1. Her career as a critical care registered nurse started in 1994 revealing her many years of experience in the field. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from the University of New Mexico and has worked in a variety of critical care patient settings including ICU, CCU, and the emergency department. Shortly after becoming a flight nurse with another provider, Denise founded AirCARE1 in 2004 on the premise of providing unmatched patient care with a holistic approach along with outstanding customer service.