Non-urgent patient transport – medical repatriation by road ambulance
Medical transports often happen in response to an emergency – a patient is rushed into hospital by ambulance or helicopter. But that does not always have to be the case. Patients or their families might still require medical transport services, or even a medical repatriation, if the situation is not urgent. In these cases, when there is no time pressure, travelling by road ambulance can offer many benefits in terms of comfort and cost.
Non-urgent patient transport
Oftentimes people associate the words medical repatriation with emergency evacuations of people who are seriously ill or injured abroad. There are however many situations in which medical repatriation companies like EMS can help.
Hospital transfers
Sometimes patients are moved to a different hospital for medical reasons: the right equipment or specialists. These transfers are often initiated and arranged by the hospital. There are situations, however, where patients themselves wish to transfer for their own reasons. Sometimes it’s the family, who want to move a relative to be in a hospital or nursing home closer to them. In these cases, where there is no medical necessity, the patient and their family have to make the arrangements, and often bear the cost.
Hospital transfers and other non-urgent transports often carry much lower risk. Patients can be accompanied by a paramedic or a nurse, rather than a doctor or a specialist – which has significant implications for the cost of the transport. The nurse can take care of all the patient’s needs and make sure they are comfortable during the journey.
Last request repatriations
One particularly moving type of transfer EMS is called out for, is repatriating hospice patients to their country of birth, or closer to family, so they can achieve a good death at home. Hospitals and insurance companies don’t cover these transfers because they are not deemed ‘necessary’, but at EMS we recognise the importance of these journeys to the patient and their family, and will aim to help people make them possible.
ICU-Ambulances
Non-urgent medical transports can often be carried out by road ambulance. EMS have their own fleet of ICU-equipped road ambulances that can cover thousands of miles and keep patients safe and comfortable. Depending on the patients needs and the size of the medical team, there can be space another person in the ambulance as well as hand-luggage and a foldable wheelchair. Our team will make every effort to make the journey as stress-free and comfortable as possible. Let us know how we can help!
Contact
For more information on our road ambulances or non-urgent patient transport services, please, don’t hesitate to contact us, by phone, email or through the website. We are here to help, even if you just want to chat about possibilities and options.