Many people associate medical transportation with air ambulances used during emergencies. However, patients who are medically stable often have another option. Non-emergency medical transport (NEMT) allows patients to travel on commercial flights with the support of an experienced flight nurse, providing a safe and more cost-effective alternative for many domestic and international trips.
Differences Between Air Ambulance and NEMT
When it comes to medical transportation, patients have a range of options. These options vary based on factors such as the urgency of the situation and the patient’s medical condition and travel distance. Air ambulances and NEMT both involve flying for medical transportation, but they serve different purposes.
Air Ambulance
Medical teams use air ambulances during emergencies to transport patients who need immediate care and cannot safely travel by commercial airline or ground transportation. Helicopters often carry patients to trauma centers or intensive care units after accidents, natural disasters or other medical emergencies. For longer distances, fixed-wing aircraft provide rapid transport between healthcare facilities.
Regardless of the aircraft type, air ambulances are equipped with emergency medical equipment to handle any in-flight emergencies. Air ambulance services can cost tens of thousands of dollars, making them significantly more expensive than non-emergency medical transport.
Non-Emergency Medical Transport (NEMT)
Alternative medical transport, as provided by services like Flying Angels, provides medical transportation under non-emergency circumstances. Depending on the situation, ground transportation or commercial airline flights are used, or sometimes both.
NEMT services make use of both domestic and international airlines to make travel arrangements. With Flying Angels, each patient is assigned a flight coordinator who manages all travel plans, including booking flights and organizing any necessary ground transportation. Additionally, a dedicated flight nurse accompanies the patient throughout the journey, monitoring their condition, assisting with medications when needed and providing medical care during travel.
Why Choose Non-Emergency Medical Transport?
People should know the difference so they can choose the service that most meets their needs. For patients who are medically stable enough to travel on a commercial flight, non-emergency medical transport is often the safer and more cost-effective option.
One of the significant advantages of NEMT services is the presence of a dedicated flight nurse. This nurse is trained to manage medical emergencies and equipped to provide any necessary care during the flight. They also ensure the patient has all required medical devices and medications.
The flight nurse in NEMT services stays with the patient throughout the entire journey, from departure to arrival. This continuous care is reassuring for both the patient and their family, providing a sense of security and peace of mind.
As the need for medical transportation that doesn’t necessitate air ambulance services has increased, so has the popularity of NEMT. It provides patients and their families with a more cost-effective option for medical transportation. Various situations call for the use of NEMT, and services like Flying Angels have simplified the process of arranging medical transportation for those in need.
