Angel MedFlight Answers: When To Consider An Air Ambulance

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Angel MedFlight Learjet 60 interior

By Angel MedFlight Contributor

Maybe it’s you, a loved one or a friend in need of critical care and time is of the essence. Or perhaps a patient has a rare disorder that is treated by an expert physician thousands of miles away. These are just two possible scenarios that would call for air ambulance transport. And the first call you should make should be to Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance.

When a patient is critically ill, commercial transport is out of the question. Commercial jets don’t carry the necessary equipment and there are restrictions on how much oxygen can be brought on board. Can’t risk exposure to all the germs on a commercial flight? Then consider Angel MedFlight where patients fly in medically configured jets equipped with a stretcher, advanced life support equipment and medications.

Who will treat the patient on board Angel MedFlight?

Each and every one of our flights is staffed with a Critical Care Nurse  and a Critical Care Flight Paramedic. This is far different from other air ambulance companies which sometimes have overworked and/or under trained nurses and medics providing the care. Angel MedFlight nurses and flight paramedics have a minimum of 10 years combined experience and many have specialized training in critical care, emergency medicine and other specialties.

Your Angel MedFlight experience BEGINS with the best care in the industry. Other air ambulance companies have low-level  employees or salespeople answering the phones. When you contact Angel MedFlight your call is handled by a trained medical professional.

What about the cost of air ambulance transport?

The safest and fastest way to get a patient to urgent medical care is via air ambulance and this mode of transport is not without operating costs. But Angel MedFlight is committed to finding the most cost-effective transportation without compromising the quality of care. If you’re considering an air ambulance for patient transport, our flight coordinators will provide a no-obligation quote for you.

Our quote will include ground ambulance, medical personnel, flight crew, equipment and medicines and the flight itself.  If there are additional charges, usually contingent upon the patient’s upgraded condition, they would be made prior to the flight and with full knowledge of the patient.

These are just a few of the frequently asked questions we are asked about our Angel MedFlight air ambulance service. We will address more questions about medical care, insurance, aircraft and other topics in future articles.

 

 

Published in: on May 15, 2013 at 4:45 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Angel MedFlight Sponsors Traveling Tribute

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The AVTT Traveling Wall (Photo courtesy AVTT)

By Angel MedFlight Contributor

American servicemen and women have given their lives to protect our freedoms. Police, firemen, and many others put their lives on the line in their daily jobs to protect our way of life. It is the cost of freedom. But thanks to the American Veterans Traveling Tribute, we as a nation have a way to remember and honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to defend our country.

The AVTT has created the Cost of Freedom Tribute and Traveling Wall, which is coming soon to Buckeye, Ariz. Angel MedFlight is proud to sponsor the event which will be held May 9-12 at the Earl Edgar Recreational Facility.

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will speak at the event Thursday at 5 p.m.  Air Force Lt. Col. Thomas Cluff is also scheduled to address the crowd  during the tribute’s stay in Buckeye.

AVTT Chief Executive Officer Kevin Weatherly says, “Our events are not about veterans paying tribute to other veterans; that has gone on far too long. Our primary focus is to get the general public and community out to pay tribute in a visible way to the men and women who they have asked to protect and serve this great country.”

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The Traveling Wall is an 80% replica of the original Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. (Courtesy AVTT)

The centerpiece of the Cost of Freedom Tribute is the Traveling Wall, an 80% replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. Perhaps you haven’t been able to make the trip to our nation’s capital to pay tribute to someone you know who gave his or her life during that conflict. With the Traveling Wall, you have the chance to locate their names and make a rubbing off the memorial.

AVTT Event Coordinator Leah DeLuzio says the wall, “represents freedom and sacrifice and those that visit it seem to be profoundly affected regardless of the fact that it is a replica.” DeLuzio says the mobile nature of the AVTT tribute allows people around the country to celebrate freedom and honor heroes without having to travel far distances to do so.

What else will you see at the Cost of Freedom Tribute? A 190-foot standup display honoring all veterans and those serving today. There will be timelines for both the Korean War and World War II. The WWII timeline includes casualties by country while the timeline for the Korean War features battle maps

More recent military actions are also remembered with panels featuring casualties from the Grenada invasion, the bombing of the U.S. Marines barracks in Beirut, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and others.

As you stroll the grounds, you’ll come upon the 9/11 Memorial which features the names of those who lost their lives at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon along with Flight 93, which crashed in Shanksville, Pa.

Law enforcement and firemen are also honored with panels listing casualties by state.

The AVTT describes the Cost of Freedom Tribute as “a one of a kind outdoor tribute, depicting Honor, Respect and Remembrance of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country.” DeLuzio says, “We partner with communities to help them develop and execute a patriotic interactive experience that offers an educational and memorable event for their heroes and participants.”

Angel MedFlight Worldwide Air Ambulance is proud to continue our support of American servicemen and women and urges all to visit this unique tribute, whether it be in Buckeye or when it travels to your area.

Published in: on May 3, 2013 at 3:36 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Make No Mistake, Angel MedFlight Is Jet-powered

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By Angel MedFlight Contributor

“You guys fly helicopters, right?” That’s a question some of us at Angel MedFlight get now and then. And while we certainly respect helicopters as an integral part of the medical transport industry, we thought we’d clear the air on Angel MedFlight’s aircraft.

Angel MedFlight is a worldwide air ambulance service that flies jets. And that allows us to transport patients virtually anywhere around the globe. And these aren’t just any jets.  We own, operate and meticulously maintain  state-of-the-art medically dedicated jets. These airplanes feature pressurized cabins and can serve as flying hospital intensive care units complete with custom stretcher, specialized equipment and medications. And Aviation West Charters dba Angel MedFlight is licensed in all states and insured worldwide.

Jets and helicopters provide completely different types of missions. Aviation West Charters Operations Director Brandon Kearns says helicopters are shorter-range and can go right to a crash scene, for example if it’s an EMS helicopter. “Aircraft are longer range, getting people from point A to point B over a 500 or 1,000-mile stretch in a shorter period of time. They serve two completely different types of missions.”

Kearns says helicopters are more short-range, “kind of like what an ambulance would do . The airplane is used more once a patient is stabilized and transports that patient, maybe to a special care facility or to a place where they can continue their therapy or healing process.”

There are times when Angel MedFlight is called upon to transport a patient to an expert in a medical field. “There may be a situation when there are only two doctors in the world who are experts in that condition. Well, that airplane is going to provide the lift for that patient,” says Kearns.

Angel MedFlight and Aviation West Charters have used Bombardier Learjets as our preferred equipment. Kearns calls the Learjet 60, “just a really phenomenal platform as far as dispatch reliability.”

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Cessna Citation X

But true to its reputation as a leader and innovator in the air ambulance industry, Angel MedFlight is in the process of changing over our fleet to the Cessna Citation X which Kearns says, “is going to increase our mission complexity as far as distance, time, speeds, allowing us to open up new markets that we haven’t previously had such as Hawaii.”  Kearns says with a Citation X “we can get to Europe without making a stop. “We’re going to be able to get to places quicker than we ever have before, which is going to increase the amount of patients we are able to serve.”

So the next time you hear the words Angel MedFlight, think leaders in safety, innovation and patient comfort. And remember, we are jet-powered…and about to get even better.

Published in: on April 22, 2013 at 2:03 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Angel MedFlight Supports Relay For Life In Fight Against Cancer

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Relay for Life of Anthem chairman Mike Chartrand walks with niece Kaly at 2012 event

By Angel MedFlight Contributor

Angel MedFlight, the leading air ambulance service, has a special bond with cancer patients, often transporting them to facilities to undergo treatment and specialized care. We see it as one of many ways to help fight this terrible disease. Another is becoming involved with the American Cancer Society and sponsoring events like their Relay for Life in Anthem, Ariz., which takes place this weekend.

Mike Chartrand is the chairman for this year’s Relay for Life in Anthem and a 21-year cancer survivor. “Angel MedFlight is an awesome weapon to have in the fight against cancer, ” says Chartand. “It’s great that Angel MedFlight is able to transport patients when time is of the essence.”

The Relay for Life in Anthem will be held Saturday, April 20 at the Community Softball Fields. It’s an organized overnight community fundraising walk which includes teams of people camping out around a track or path. Members of teams each take turns walking around the track. The event also includes snacks, games and activities.

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Kaly Chartrand rides with uncle Mike Chartrand at 2012 Relay for Life

Saturday’s event kicks off with an opening ceremony at 6:00 p.m. and then a Survivor’s Lap 30 minutes later as cancer survivors, including Mike, take the first lap around the track cheered on by other participants.

Mike takes part in the Relay for Life every year with his niece, Kaly – also a cancer survivor. Kaly was diagnosed with retinoblastoma at 10 months and it was shortly after that Mike walked in his first relay. Doctors removed the affected eye and Mike says Kaly had to go through “about six months of chemotherapy.” He’s happy to report his 7-year-old niece is in full remission saying she lives like a normal kid, and then some. “She’s a ball of fire,” says Mike.

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Cancer survivors Mike Chartrand and niece Kaly

Karynda Kearns recently moved to Anthem and will be walking  in the relay for the first time. Both she and her husband Brandon, Flight Operations Director at Aviation West Charters, have been touched by the disease. Both have had grandmothers survive breast cancer. “This relay is for such a great cause,” says Karynda. ” I know of at least two people fighting cancer in the community and it’s great to see the people rally around them and show them they’re not alone in this battle.”

Chartrand says Saturday’s Relay for Life “is a celebration of the folks who are currently fighting cancer, the survivors and it’s also a time to remember those who have passed.” He says it’s great to see the entire community come out to find a cure, realizing that everyone has that same common goal.

As a Gold member sponsor of Anthem’s Relay for Life, Angel MedFlight is proud to stand with the American Cancer Society in its quest to find a cure.

Published in: on April 18, 2013 at 12:30 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Meet our team: Sharon Mico, Quality Assurance Director

By Angel MedFlight Contributor

Quality Assurance Director Sharon Mico

Quality Assurance Director Sharon Mico

At Angel MedFlight, it’s our mission to transport patients across the country or around the world while delivering the kind of quality care you will not get from any of our competitors. Angel MedFlight has many employees who work behind the scenes to make certain we exceed our patients’ expectations and take care of them every step of the way. One of these employees is Quality Assurance Director Sharon Mico.

A native of Kansas City, Mo., Sharon’s primary responsibility is to review patient transport charts to ensure accuracy and compliance of documents within the chart. The patients’ records are uploaded into our database and Sharon reviews all areas of the transport documentation, making sure the uploaded information is executed correctly.

Angel MedFlight promises Bedside-to-Bedside® service and Sharon plays a pivotal role in making sure that happens.

When our medical crew arrives at the patient’s bedside, the information is uploaded into the database. Our in-flight medical teams will send medical documents such as ECG strips, patient release forms and a transport summary. Sharon is at the receiving end, scanning and uploading those records. She maintains the locations of the physical charts from conception to completion.

Sharon’s responsibilities don’t end there. She also assists our Flight Coordination Department on a daily basis, creating and updating facility and physician accounts within our database.

Ask Sharon to pick out one patient story that stands out to her and she’ll tell you there are just too many memorable ones.
“I have read so many stories in my job that impact me every day,” says Sharon. “I can’t pick just one because they have all touched my heart in one way or another. I’m just thankful these patients and their families have Angel MedFlight to turn to when they are in need of air ambulance services.”

One of the keys to a successful organization like Angel MedFlight is having versatile team members. Sharon shows off that versatility completing projects from the Business Development/Marketing team as well as the Legal and Claims departments.

Sharon knows a great deal about teamwork having spent 10 years as a member of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs organization. She fondly remembers working under Hall of Fame owner Lamar Hunt and watching the great teams of coach Hank Stram.

She began her career with Angel MedFlight in 2009 and her career also includes a stint with Sierra Pacific Airlines, a Part 125 charter.

She assures quality in her favorite travel destination as well. Sharon loves the warm turquoise water and sugar white sand beaches of St. Croix, Virgin Islands.

Published in: on April 10, 2013 at 10:32 am  Leave a Comment  
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CMSA San Antonio: Rodeoin’, Riverwalkin’ and Red Hot!

A few of the lucky pardners at Angel MedFlight have just returned from the Case Management Society of America’s 21st Annual Conference and Expo held June 14-17 in San Antonio.

It was a blast – more than 2,200 case managers and health care industry professionals from across the country descended upon San Antonio, taking the city by storm.

The Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center was ideal for learning and conversation. The speakers were informative and inspiring. The events were fun and festive, and San Antonio itself was charming, with plenty of restaurants, sightseeing and activities to enjoy.

Some of the highlights:

Knibbe Ranch opening night: Rodeo, armadillos, longhorns and Texas-sized fun...

...pictures at the Angel MedFlight booth...

...catching up with CMSA trip winner Candy...

...and the best part - meeting all of you!

We tip our hats to CMSA, case managers, the city of San Antonio, and everyone who made CMSA 2011 such a fabulous time.

As we ride off into the sunset, we have fond memories of fun and friends to keep us company. We hope our trails cross again soon!

See you all at CMSA 2012 San Francisco!

Published in: on June 22, 2011 at 10:52 am  Comments (1)  
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Angel MedFlight is Two-steppin’ Our Way to Texas for the Case Management Expo

     June 14-17, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, 

San Antonio, Texas

We are just days away from CMSA’s 21st Annual Conference & Expo in San Antonio, Texas, and the Angel MedFlight team is rarin’ to go!

The CMSA Expo attracts more than 2,200 health care professionals, and is dedicated to positively impacting and improving patient well-being and health care outcomes.

We’re looking forward to a week jam-packed with education, events and excitement. We can’t wait to meet and catch up with case managers from all over the country!

We’ve staked our claim on a piece of carpet right near the Expo entrance. If you’ll be there, visit our booth and say “howdy.” Here are just a few of the goings-on at the Angel MedFlight saloon:

  • FREE PHOTOS! Have a souvenir snapshot taken Wednesday or Thursday, and pick up your photo Friday. You’ll have a bona fide Wild West memento to take back to the homestead.
  • KEY INFORMATION: Learn how medical transport impacts patient care and have your questions answered by our gang of experts.
  • GIVEAWAYS! Strike it rich with our mighty fine giveaways and enter to win a prize you’ll be proud of.
  • FUN! Whether you need to cool your heels or want to get wild and wooly, sidle on up for a grand ol’ time with the nice folks at Angel MedFlight.

Follow the CMSA Expo rodeo on the Angel MedFlight blog, facebook and twitter pages.

See y’all next week in San Antone!

Published in: on June 10, 2011 at 11:13 am  Leave a Comment  
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Practical Tips Before You Travel

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, and for countless Americans, that means travel. Before you pack for your next trip, here is some information that could literally save your life.

Review your medical insurance policy. Some policies provide limited or no coverage when you travel out of the country. Look at your emergency transportation benefits: Will you be transported to the nearest adequate facility or returned to the U.S. for treatment? For example, if you are in a serious accident in Mexico that will require surgery, will your insurance provide air ambulance service for you to return to the United States for the operation?

Consider purchasing supplemental travel insurance. Travel insurance can be an affordable option that provides some coverage that standard health insurance may not. As with traditional policies, it’s important to read the fine print in travel coverage, too. Some things to look for:

Adventure Sports: Some travel insurance policies exclude adventure sports activities that you might try on a trip (bungee jumping, skiing, para sailing, etc). If you plan on an active vacation, select a travel insurance policy that includes sports benefits, or see about adding coverage for them.

Repatriation: For the international traveler, repatriation coverage is crucial. If you are sick or injured overseas, you want a policy that will get you initially treated, stabilized and flown back to the U.S. on a medically equipped and staffed jet. Pay close attention to the fine print, as some policies include repatriation only after you are well enough to fly commercially, which could result in you being stranded in a foreign country for months while you recover.

Hospital of Choice: Note whether the travel insurance policy will fly you to the medical facility of your choice or the medical facility of their choice. This distinction could mean the difference in spending months at a facility close to your home and family or one hundreds – even thousands of miles away.

Travel insurance can be purchased on an annual or per-trip basis, with basic trip insurance starting at around $100 per person. Many policies are customizable, with options like adventure sports and “hospital of choice” medical evacuation coverage.

Make a list of your medications and allergies. Put a copy in your wallet, and leave a copy with your emergency contact, preferably someone not on the trip with you.

Make copies of your insurance information. Take your insurance information with you, and leave a copy of your insurance card (front and back), traveler’s insurance policy, social security card and passport (if traveling internationally) with your emergency contact as well. In the event that you are incapacitated, your emergency contact can begin making arrangements to get you back to the U.S.

Put an Angel MedFlight business card in your wallet or write down www.angelmedflight.com. As an international air medical transportation provider, Angel MedFlight transports patients all over the world, many of whom become seriously ill or injured while traveling. In the face of a medical crisis, we are the compassionate team of health care professionals dedicated to your protection and care.

Published in: on May 23, 2011 at 3:33 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Defining a Company, Shaping an Industry

Angel MedFlight is a company built on compassion and innovation.

In 2007, fueled by the challenges of working in an inefficient and often uncaring environment, Jeremy Freer, a then 25-year-old flight paramedic, saw an opportunity for change, and took action.  His vision and insights would revolutionize an industry.

Jeremy started Angel MedFlight, an air transportation company that would coordinate every aspect of a medical transfer, provide exceptional patient care and increase efficiency for overloaded case managers.

  • He carefully selected medical professionals who reflected his vision to be a patient-oriented organization.
  • He brought on registered nurses as flight coordinators, to be the medically trained points of contact for patients’ families and case managers.
  • He established an in-house legal department to help patients navigate through a complex insurance claims process.

Angel MedFlight’s team of health care, aviation and legal professionals took its One Touch Promise™ to heart with each patient, handling every detail of safe, seamless, caring medical transports.

As the company continued to operate with compassion and integrity, case managers across the country took notice. They saw the advantages of working with a forward-thinking company with a passion for patient care. Other air ambulance operators followed suit, implementing the changes that Jeremy had pioneered, and the industry shifted its focus to safety, care and efficiency.

Today, Angel MedFlight performs air medical missions internationally, and continues to expand and solidify its position as a premier air ambulance service provider dedicated to unparalleled patient care.

Published in: on May 6, 2011 at 4:10 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Does Insurance Cover Air Medical Transport?

The simplest answer is, “sometimes.” There are a number of factors involved in determining whether an insurance carrier will pay for air and ground ambulance transportation, and each patient situation is unique. Medical insurance coverage differs by provider and even by policy, with variations in levels of coverage, how coverage is defined, and what benefits the insured receives.

Unlike any other air medical transportation provider, Angel MedFlight has an in-house legal team, experienced in insurance and health care issues, who are committed to helping patients and families with the insurance process. Our legal team will act as patient advocates through pre-authorization to claims processing, and even into litigation if necessary.

To best determine whether insurance will cover the costs of air medical transportation, contact Angel MedFlight’s registered nurse flight coordinators, who work hand-in-hand with Angel MedFlight’s in-house legal team.

Published in: on April 7, 2011 at 5:04 pm  Leave a Comment  
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