Medivac - Patient Transport Needed

[ABX]

Hi PPRuNers,

I have a relative in the Philippines, who is has been recently disabled and requires transport from Manila to either Melbourne or Los Angeles for further treatment.

Would those who know please give me some advise on;

1. Who provides such transport?

2. Any info on costs?

3. Are medical clearances required for the patient to fly?

4. Is air the best way to transport a disabled man or should we consider booking him on a ship? (It may just suit his particular case although it is bloody slow!)

5. Have you been involved in this before and can you offer general advise?

I did a search of the archives here and didn't find much, so feel free to post info here that may be of use to me and others in the future or PM me if you'd rather not post names and contact details.

BTW, if it makes any difference we would need to transport him in around a month or so.

Cheers,

ABX

[chimbu warrior]

These might be the folks to talk to. I understand they have a Falcon 10 set up for medevacs.

http://www.wagnersaviation.com.au/default.asp

It won't be cheap, but sometimes private health insurance or travel insurance can cover some of the cost.

[Jamair]

In Qld there is Careflight at Cooly, set up with a Learjet to do medical retrievals. Lookup 'Careflight'. Get a 2nd mortgage.

Apart from that, check these out

http://www.alltheautomotive.com/Search.aspx?q=Air%20Ambulance

When you've done with those, have cuppa and a lie-down, then book him on a commercial flight (with a medical clearance). Patient retrievals are major bucks; unless you're a pollie, a filmstar or have appropriate medical insurance, forget it.

[ABX]

Thanks chimbu warrior, I have contacted Wagner's and should get a reply soon.

Jamair, you made me laugh mate, thanks for that, I have contacted the folks on the Air Ambulance website you sent me, didn't have much luck with Careflight at Cooly though. Seems they only have helos?

Please keep it coming folks.

Cheers,

ABX

[Chimbu chuckles]

I used to be the CP of a medical retrieval jet in asia...there are several operators up there. Unless there is insurance to cover the costs you will be looking at HUGE money. It will a HELL of a lot cheaper to book 4 seats on a commercial jet and bring him home on a stretcher with medical attendants...4 seats removed to allow the stretcher fitment. Having said that airlines hate doing this so will squirm.

International SOS in Singapore (Offices in Sydney too) will be the ones to ask...as I said not cheap.

[ABX]

Thanks CC, I'll see if I can find International SOS and contact them. Since he is stable now, I'll look into the airline seat option as well, we do have a good contact at PAL, I'll see what happens.

Thanks for the info.

I read that you finished your sim, how's the line training going?

Good luck Mate & thanks again.

Cheers,

ABX

[aircabbie]

Sydney jet charter do medivacs give them a call

[ABX]

Hey Cabbie, will look them up, thanks for the tip Mate.

Cheers,

ABX

[Yusef Danet]

Pel-Air had a medevac kit for one of their Westwinds, was based in Dili for a while back when.

[Hipster]

Try Jet City in Melbourne, they operate a few Learjets and have been doing this sort of thing for years. A mate of mine worked as a paramedic on Vanuatu and swears by Jet City. Worth a try...

[Tropicalchief]

If the patient's condition is not critical at this stage (ie does not require a medical attendant) it would be better and cheaper to purchase a business class or first class seat on an airline that have fully reclinable seats. O2 can be purchased from the airline, around $au150.00 a bottle or you can take your own as long as it is approved by the airline for use in their cabins. Medivac charters are very expensive compared to First or Business class airfares. Just a suggestion, I hope it helps.

[Voeni]

swiss air ambulance (try a search at google) is one of the most famous provider of ambulance flights worldwide. they have a fleet of challenger 604 jets, fully refurbished with intensive care units...
try them, i guess for long-haul they have the best equipment...

give me a message if you need more info!

[ABX]

Heartfelt appreciation to all who posted in this thread, you've demonstrated the best side of PPRuNe and given valuable assistance.

The patient remains in Manila, at his request, even though his condition would be treated better in the US or here in Oz, he has family in Manila and wishes to be near them. He makes very small and gradual steps toward recovery every day, his will be a long hard journey, but he is a determined man.

Cheers all and thank you very much.

ABX

[ABX]

Hi All,

As you can see it is the best part of a year since I started this thread. Quite a lots has happened in the last year. IMO, the patient should have made the move to a western hospital much sooner, however he has now recovered to the stage that he needs serious rehab. This is simply not available in the Philippines.

I flew over to Manila late in January and spent a few weeks working with him, getting him strong enough to make the flight. Then I followed the recommendations of Jamair, Chuckles and Tropicalchief, (thanks one and all), we booked a row of seats in business and brought him here on PAL. He is now in Albury preparing for rehab treatment beginning next week.

I must say that the advice to fly him here on a commercial flight had not occurred to me prior to it being recommended to me. I am glad I asked the question and very grateful to those who gave the suggestion!

Although the trip was a bit stressful (the patient has mobility issues and crew cannot help with transfers) we coped extremely well and the staff were very helpful. The biggest vote of thanks must go to the Qf team that escorted us out of the aircraft and all the way through immigration, baggage claim and customs. Because the patient is in a wheel chair we had to allow the rest of the SLF to de board before us, then we were helped off the Airbus and out. Last off became first out and away from the airport as we went through the express/special service lanes at high speed everywhere we went. The customs guy came over and cleared us through customs as we were collecting our bags from the carousel (nothing to declare).

Coincidently we had friends on the same flight, I found out later that we had left the airport and were on the highway home before they got to the car park. Now that is service. Thanks guys. (Especially since it was a Qf team and we flew PAL).

Cheers All,

ABX:ok:

[flyboy2]

Having just seen this thread, I'm very pleased to see that the correct advice was offered to the enquirer and that it worked.

Here in Central Africa, we suggest that a stretcher-patient can be flown on a commercial flight when 6 seats are blocked out, so that there is space for the patient, flight-doctor,flight-nurse and 1 relative.

For the air-ambulance it's best to have travel-insurance as it is pricey.
From remote areas the air-ambulance is often the only option " Because every life counts", which is our motto.

I started a similar thread in Africa Aviation in a effort to elicit awareness of the existance of the various air-ambulance services and response was only luke-warm. Go figure?

[tcross]

just for reference i was talking to a pilot of JetCity from Tulla, to confirm the above post, they are still doing the lear 35 runs around the globe for medivac. He came into YHML the other day and we got chatting. sounds like a good experience, long hours though, 2am starts etc