What triggers an evacuation
Common triggers are a serious injury or illness in a location without the required specialty, a patient in a facility that cannot provide intensive care, a deterioration that requires a higher level of hospital, or a situation where staying put carries more risk than moving.
The first conversation
The fastest way to start is a phone call. We will ask where the patient is, the name of the treating facility, what has happened, what treatment they are receiving now, and where they need to go. If you do not have all the medical detail, that is fine. We can request it from the facility with the family's or the insurer's authority.
Assessment before movement
No patient is moved before the transport is assessed as appropriate. That means reviewing current medical reports, confirming the patient is stable enough to fly or can be stabilised for the flight, agreeing the level of medical support required, and confirming a receiving facility will accept them.
Options we consider
Depending on the case, an evacuation may use a dedicated air ambulance, a medical escort on a scheduled flight, a commercial airline stretcher where available, ground ambulance for part of the journey, or a combination. We select based on clinical suitability first, then time and cost.
Working with insurers and assistance companies
If a travel insurer or assistance company is involved, we work directly with their case managers, providing the flight plan, medical crew detail, quotes and reporting they need to authorise the movement, and keeping the family informed in parallel.