What is a Medical Travel Companion?
Medical travel companions fly with travelers who need assistance to complete their journey. They make the trip from Point A to Point B easier for those with injuries, disabilities and older travelers who want support when flying to national or international destinations.
Adult children also often hire medical travel companions to fly with their senior parents who might have some physical limitations or who may simply get confused or uneasy with the hustle and bustle of the airport and airplane.
While many types of medical travel companion services are available, making the journey with a flight nurse provides travelers with a trained medical professional who is highly skilled in providing medical care on commercial flights and for those who need a long distance ambulance.
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The Benefits of Medical Travel Companions
People with medical conditions cannot always make flights on their own. Having a flight nurse or medical travel companion gives those who need support during air travel a number of benefits.
In the case of flight nurses, each one is experienced with working in emergency situations, making them able to handle whatever situation might arise. They also have earned certification for providing medical services at high altitudes.
Many flight nurse companies can also make trip arrangements. This includes ground transport to and from the airport, assistance through the terminal (including security) and ensuring all needed medical equipment and medications travel with you.
Overall, the biggest benefit of a medical travel companion is the peace of mind of knowing you have professional, caring assistance for your journey.
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Who Needs a Medical Travel Companion?
Medical travel companies can provide vital support in a number of situations.
Senior Travel
As people age, running the gauntlet of lines, security checks, ticket kiosks, and crowds of people hustling quickly through the terminal and at the gate can become overwhelming. A flight nurse can make the process much less complicated, providing a steady companion who guides you through every step along the way in the airport. They also take away any concerns about the handling of medical equipment and prescription medications (including remembering to take them when required).
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Injuries
Traveling with a broken arm or leg, especially if a wheelchair is required, makes air travel difficult even for the youngest and healthiest of travelers. A medical travel companion can navigate the journey for you while also ensuring that your injury receives proper attention.
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Disabilities
Those with disabilities typically become experts at getting through whatever life throws at them, but travel can provide a particularly strong challenge. A flight nurse can provide assistance when needed and also contact airport officials ahead of time to work out any special arrangements involving equipment or security.
Getting Home
For those who become ill or get injured while on vacation, a flight nurse can make the journey home much easier, including handling communication with medical personnel, even those in other countries. Clients can engage the services of a medical travel companion for domestic and international flights. Whatever your reasons for wanting a flight nurse with you, they can make your journey much less stressful and ensure you arrive at your destination safely while attending all your medical needs.
Can You Fly After a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Is it possible to fly after a traumatic brain injury? Even considering flying after such a serious event seems risky, but it’s typically safe after a certain amount of time passes and a doctor gives you the OK and you seek the support you need to make the air travel experience less stressful.
Much like those who want to fly after a heart attack or fly with COPD, just the idea of trying to fly after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) seems intimidating. The key is in planning travel after a TBI that takes into account what you will need for a safe flight as well as getting the proper support.
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What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
The official definition of traumatic brain injury is any sudden event that causes injury to the brain. The most common events that lead to a TBI include bad falls (for example, from a ladder or down a flight of stairs), car accidents, sports injuries and, for members of the military, explosions and other combat injuries.
Some of the symptoms of TBI, according to the Mayo Clinic, include:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Difficulties with speech
- Trouble sleeping
- Confusion and agitation
Clearly, any of those could make it difficult to fly after a traumatic brain injury. However, time and medication can help with these issues. Most experts believe that flying is generally safe if it’s done at least 10 days after the brain injury. That varies, depending on the health of the patient before the incident and the exact nature of the brain injury.
It’s also crucial to get an opinion from your doctor before deciding to fly after a traumatic brain injury.
How Non-Emergency Medical Transport Can Help TBI Victims
If a doctor gives the green light for flying, then the next important step is to get the support you need for the flight. By flying with a flight nurse affiliated with a non-emergency medical transport (NEMT) company, TBI patients can better handle all the details of airplane travel. A NEMT company and flight nurse offer support to TBI patients in a number of areas, including the following.
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Making Flight Arrangements
TBI patients don’t have to worry about booking flights, dealing with airport personnel or handling the details of getting medications through security. A NEMT company handles all your travel arrangements and works with the airports and airlines to make your trip go as smoothly as possible.
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Tracking Medications
Most TBI patients carry medications to deal with the symptoms listed above, as well as other TBI-related issues. A flight nurse will handle the transport and administering of medications throughout your trip, taking a major burden off your hands (and a lot of worry off your mind).
Expertise in Flight Healthcare
Flight nurses, in addition to training in emergency room settings, also have knowledge, skills and experience in providing healthcare at high altitudes. They understand the impact that flying can have on all medical conditions, including brain injuries. They will be ready to provide any care needed throughout the flight.
Peace of Mind
It’s impossible to quantify the peace of mind people experience having a Flight Coordinator handle all the travel-related bookings and a flight nurse to oversee care during the trip. Just the relief from anxiety that TBI patients experience can make having a flight nurse along worthwhile.
With a doctor’s clearance, it’s possible to fly after a traumatic brain injury. But TBI patients should also seek assistance to make the experience go much more smoothly. A flight nurse is an outstanding choice in this regard.
Why is Flying Scary?
Travel has become a consistent part of life for many people, with more than 4 billion seats purchased for flights in 2019 alone. But some people still believe flying is scary because of fear of accidents, confusion over getting through the airport, or anxiety about flying while injured or post-operative.
The feeling that flying is scary is common. However, these fears are rooted in misconceptions or a lack of facts. Learning more about flying can lessen that “scared to fly” feeling. Here are several of the common reasons to feel that flying is scary and ways to deal with them.
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Fear of Accidents
This is one of the most common fears, but it’s one that’s easier to keep in check when you know the facts. Around the world, the safety of aircraft keeps improving. The International Air Transport Association reported that in 2019, the airline industry saw its safety record improve yet again. There were 46.8 million flights and only 250 accidents. In the United States, there hasn’t been a fatal commercial airline crash since 2009. The odds of being in a plane accident are about 1 in 11 million (compared to about 1 in 5,000 for a car accident).
However, many people still deal with anxiety and think flying is too scary to try. Some tips that can help lessen that anxiety include the following.
- Look at pictures of airplane interiors to get you used to the environment
- Choose the best seat on a plane that will keep you close to the bathroom if you need it. An aisle seat is also better for those who don’t want to see how high off the ground they are
- Bring something fun and relaxing to read or watch during the flight
- Stay away from anything that induces anxiety, such as the news
- Avoid caffeine, as it can heighten your sense of anxiety
- Try people watching, both in the airport and on the plane. It can take your mind off your own anxieties
- If you have a travel companion, take the opportunity to have a long conversation with them
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Fear of Flying When Injured or Ill
Those who are recovering from an injury, recently experienced a health emergency or want to fly after surgery often fear getting on a plane. However, it is possible to fly in all these situations, especially if you have the right support.
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This is a common situation and one that a flight nurse can help you handle. Flight nurses can:
- Fly with you on your flight, ensuring you get proper medical treatment if needed
- Carry and administer any medication you need
- Guide you through the terminal, security and gate procedures
- Ensure any equipment you have is properly stored, such as a wheelchair
- The non-emergency medical transport companies they work for can even handle all your travel arrangements.
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Fear of Navigating the Airport
Some people feel intimidated by the experience itself. Airports are huge, busy and confusing. That can give rise to feelings of anxiety, in some cases escalating to fear. Some tips to keep in mind for these issues are as follows.
- Research and pick your parking location ahead of time. Go on your departure airport’s website and pick a place to park that will be the most convenient for you
- Arrive early. It’s OK to arrive hours ahead of time, giving yourself plenty of time
- Ticketing is your first stop, and you can now printout boarding passes at a self-serve kiosk. You can also use a pass on your phone if you have that function. Both save time in line
- At security, wear shoes that are easy to slip off and slip on. Remember you will have to take off your belt and empty everything from your pockets, so don’t carry a lot.
- Once you reach the gate area – and if you have time – find a relaxing airport lounge to wait for when boarding starts on your flight (typically about 30 minutes before departure)
- Remember you are in control of how you react to this experience, it doesn’t control you
- If you are elderly, post-operative, or dealing with a condition that impairs movement, this is another area where having a flight nurse with you is of great help
Flying is scary to some people, but it doesn’t have to be that way. By keeping these tips in mind and focusing on positive thinking, it’s not as difficult as you might think. You might even find that eventually you start to enjoy the experience!
How Much Does It Cost to Get Airlifted to Hospital?
For those who choose to hire a helicopter for medical transport or to get airlifted to a hospital, the costs can come as an unwelcome surprise. The national average for an emergency helicopter ride is about $40,000 and rose 60 percent between 2012 and 2016.
Those numbers, from a 2019 study published in Health Affairs, show the enormous medical flight cost for those who use an emergency helicopter. It’s an amount equal to about half the average annual household income in the United States.
The cost of using a helicopter is far higher than other methods of long distance medical transport. In some cases, shockingly higher.
The High Cost of Helicopter Airlifts
The costs of getting airlifted to a hospital can vary depending on circumstances that include the length of the flight and terrain the helicopter must reach. Overall, the median cost-per-mile has reached $268, according to the study.
Gerard Anderson, a professor of health policy and management at Johns Hopkins University and a co-author on the study, told the Washington Post that there are no controls on the system and little competition in most areas, leading most to believe costs will continue to escalate.
“If you’re somebody who gets injured, and an air ambulance comes, you’re going to pay huge amounts because most likely you’re out of network and you’re going to get a bill for $30,000 or $40,000,’’ Anderson said.
Many people living in rural areas have few choices, because with the closure of so many hospitals, a helicopter is their only way to reach a hospital within an hour.
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According to information from the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO), about two-thirds of all medical flights for people with private insurance are out-of-network. That results in insurance paying either a small portion or none of the bill.
This is what leads to “surprise billing” on patients. The GAO reported that almost all the consumer complaints they received involved billing of more than $10,000. In most cases, patients do not have any choice on who provides the airlift to the hospital and cannot control whether it is in or out of network, according to the GAO.
This can prove financially devastating to families. In some cases, emergency helicopter flights cost as much as $54,000. In one case, a judge from North Dakota was left with a bill of $41,000 after breaking three ribs when she was thrown from a horse in 2017.
Non-Emergency Medical Costs
None of this should be confused with non-emergency medical transport (NEMT) offered by Flying Angels. NEMT involves having experienced flight nurses travel with patients to their destination using commercial airlines. Flight arrangements are also made by the NEMT provider, further relieving stress for older travelers and those with medical conditions.
The most expensive NEMT flight – a trip to Asia – reaches around $25,000, according to estimates put together by Flying Angels based on costs leaving from Philadelphia International Airport. Other examples include $5,000 to $7,000 to Florida and $7,000 to $9,000 to California. While the costs of emergency transport, including getting airlifted to the hospital, continue to rise, NEMT services remain relatively inexpensive.