There are many factors involved in determining the best Air Ambulance provider to meet your needs.  Some factors to consider when choosing a provider are listed below:

• What to Look for:

• Are you speaking with a Broker (middle-man)?
• Who are the brokers subcontracting?
• Has the broker even seen the aircraft or know the pilots and medical crew’s qualifications?  Who has operational control of the aircraft and medical team?
• Are you speaking directly with licensed Medical professionals that understand your medical needs and concerns?
• Has the Air Ambulance company had any aircraft or medical accidents, incidents and/or legal issues, in the past or present?
• Has the Air Ambulance company had any lawsuits due to medical negligence or poor business practices?
• Is the company licensed and insured in the United States?
• Is it a foreign company? 
• Is the medical staff of these foreign Air Ambulance companies legally licensed to practice in the U.S. upon entering the U.S.?
• Does the Air Ambulance company pay commissions to brokers in foreign hospitals and pass this cost on to you? 

• COST: Costs for Air Ambulance services can be enormous and vary from provider to provider.  Here are several key questions to ask in determining that you are getting what you pay for:
  • What aircraft are they using?
  • Are they quoting you on a smaller, slower, piston driven aircraft?
  • Are ground ambulance services included in the quote?
  • What is the medical team composed of: MD, RN, Paramedic?
  • Is there an extra cost for a companion(s) to accompany on the flight?
  • Is their quote all inclusive or will there be extra charges for medical equipment, fuel surcharges, landing, handling, and all other fees, etc.?

• AVAILABILITY: Another factor to consider is availability. Since time is of the essence, a critical question to ask is, “ How soon can the Air Ambulance arrive ?”  Brokers waste valuable time in their search for an available aircraft and teams.  Will the company you hire arrive on time, as promised?

• AIRCRAFT:  Ensure the provider you contact will use the most appropriate aircraft for the transport.  Some providers utilize aircraft that can travel great distances without re-fueling while others have smaller craft that travel slower and need to stop more frequently to refuel.  Time is of the essence in life-threatening situations.  Some aircraft may not be pressurized and / or unable to fly above bad weather.  This is an important consideration for certain medical conditions.

• COMPARISONS:  Finally, it is important to compare all services that will be provided.  Some Air Ambulance companies subcontract unknown aircraft and third party medical teams and pilots.  Some air ambulance companies only provide the air transport portion while others will provide full air and ground service.  When you get your quote, what is included: ground transport, all fees, etc.  It is very important to understand who is providing what services and if everything is included.

Item of Interest:

• Ask your travel insurance company how they credential their Air Ambulance providers and how often?  What background research have they done?  Do they used Air Ambulance companies with accident and / or incident records? 

Trinity Air Ambulance sets the standards for safe, caring and timely transports.