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Geopolitical chaos: The European response

Megan Gaen investigates how air ambulances and assistance companies were affected by Brexit, Covid-19 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Wing-to-wing transfers and the need for strong partnerships

Wing-to-wing patient transfers are sensitive, complex missions – and success relies on partnerships that are exceptional in every way. Air ambulance operators share with Lauren Haigh the crucial considerations when…

Can I get a quote? Providing accurate quotes to clients for time-sensitive missions

Oliver Cuenca talks to members of the air ambulance community about how they provide accurate quotes to clients when responding to time-sensitive missions

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Case Studies

Case study: Malteser AeroMedical face challenges in Mombasa

As with many cases received by the operations team at Malteser AeroMedical, this case started rather harmlessly, but quickly turned into a mission full of challenges and difficult decisions.

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Case study: European Air Ambulance Challenger 605 raises the bar

A little more than a year after its start of operations, Luxembourg-based European Air Ambulance (EAA) is more than pleased with the overall performance of its first longrange aircraft, the…

Case study: Redstar Aviation on a double transport from Turkey and Greece back to Germany

It was early October on a beautiful afternoon at Redstar Aviation’s headquarters in Istanbul, Turkey, when the operations centre received a call from a client in Germany, enquiring about a…

Case study: AIRLEC Ambulance transports mass casualties from France to Asia

A single patient requiring repatriation is a challenge in itself, so four at once involves exceptional pre-planning and execution – especially from France to Asia. Fortunately, Airlec was more than…

Case study: AMREF Flying Doctors transport a complex patient from Lubango in Angola

One thing always comes true when dealing with aeromedical patient transports: ‘Expect the unexpected.’ Nothing demonstrates this better than the following case in Angola, which AMREF Flying Doctors (AFD) so…

Case study: AirMed International provide an urgent response in Haiti

With the current civil and political realities in Haiti, citizens are required to remain in place to await proper medical care. Often, the outlying medical facilities are ill-equipped to handle…

Case study: UNICAIR on using Noninvasive ventilatory support with High Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen

Noninvasive ventilatory support with High Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen (HFNC) is increasingly popular across the age continuum in patients with respiratory compromise, in whom intubation and mechanical ventilation should be…

Case study: FAI Air Ambulance on the value of in-flight ultrasound

A 75-year-old man from the US East Coast, Polish-born, on a nostalgic trip to his roots in Wroclaw, Poland. One week into the trip, he suffered chest pain and out-of-hospital…

Case study: Air Ocean Maroc on the the complex case of a transpulmonary ultrasound

Air Ocean Maroc provides comprehensive aviation services, so the complex case of a transpulmonary ultrasound was well within their remit. It’s a prime example of exceptional teamwork under pressure.

Interview: Chase McCown, President of Spectrum Aeromed

Focused on delivering the best patient care: Chase McCown, President of Spectrum Aeromed, spoke to the ITIJ Air Ambulance Review about the importance of ensuring exacting standards and embracing the…

Interview: Dr Lucy Ng’ethe, Phoenix Air Ambulance

Mandy Langfield spoke to Dr Lucy Ng’ethe, Phoenix Air Ambulance, about the unique African operating environment and the challenges of working effectively with assistance providers

2022: a year of recovery for aeromedical accreditation

Members of the aeromedical accreditation industry tell ITIJ how they fared in the ever-changing landscape of 2022

A question of standards

New helicopter emergency guidelines have provoked a great deal of discussion. Here are the views of the European HEMS and Air Ambulance Committee (EHAC)

Medical Director's Position Paper: Repatriating Psychiatric Patients

Following on from the Medical Directors’ Forum at ITIC Global in Athens in October 2022, a Position Paper has been published on the international aeromedical transport of patients with psychiatric…

ITIJ Air Ambulance Review - September 2022

The benefits and challenges of commercial repatriations

Oliver Cuenca talks to repatriation experts about the benefits and challenges of transporting patients on commercial flights, building relationships with airlines and managing kit in small cabin spaces

Training fixed-wing medical crews

To ensure a reliable and readily available skill set and high performance in the complex and sometimes convoluted air ambulance environment, operators have a very structured training curriculum. Clara Bullock…

Industry Voice: EHAC

Peter Turi of TrustAir shared the past, present and future of EHAC’s Medical Working Group (MWG) and scientific activities with ITIJ

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The move to long-range jets

The Covid-19 pandemic saw a global surge in demand for long-range jet air ambulance provision, driven largely by the operating restrictions placed on service providers. Jonathan Falconer looks at how…

Keeping crews safe during the pandemic

ACE Air and Ambulance, Fox Flight Air Ambulance and AirCare1 told ITIJ how they managed to keep their crews safe during the height of the pandemic – and beyond

Ventilation patient management in an aeromedical setting

Sean Bryan, Director of Medical Operations - Western Hemisphere at REVA, Inc talks about equipment, training, and preparedness when it comes to transporting patients with mechanical ventilation needs

Infectious passenger handling in air ambulance operations

EUROCAE Working Group 123 has been formed to develop standards for the safe and effective handling of infectious patients during air medical transportations

Working with assistance companies – a wishlist from aeromedical companies

ITIJ spoke to aeromedical companies around the world about what they want from assistance companies when collaborating

“We are prepared for the next pandemic”

ITIJ spoke to Martin Muehlmeyer, Director of Operations at FAI, about changes to his role and the air ambulance industry as a whole

Case Study: Haiti Air Ambulance on transporting patients from cruise ships

Kelly Edwards, Clinical Operations Manager at Haiti Air Ambulance, discusses a case in which an 84-year-old cruise guest had to be rescued following a fall

Case Study: European Air Ambulance sets a course for the future

Luxembourg-based European Air Ambulance (EAA), one of the largest specialised providers of air ambulance services in Europe, is setting the course for a successful future by pursuing a customercentric strategy…

Case Study: Malteser AeroMedical | A dream vacation gone wrong – Hippo attack in South Africa

Some cases are so unbelievable, that they are remembered long after the mission was successfully completed. One example - that stuck in the minds of the Malteser AeroMedical Team -…

Case Study: Redstar Aviation on a complicated repatriation case from Singapore to Fort Lauderdale

Some missions take you around the world; this one took the team of Redstar Aviation from the majestic skyscrapers in Singapore all the way to the endless beaches and palm…

Case Study: Airlec Air Ambulance step up to help save a patient's life under tragic circumstances

Like many other couples, a 34-year-old Canadian tourist wanted to enjoy a few days off before the arrival of their baby, booking a so-called ‘babymoon’ on Malta – but things…

Case Study: AirCare1 on the intricacies of transporting a complex paediatric patient

Since the advent of the air ambulance and its eventual evolution into long-range, intensive care units in the sky, its highly trained flight teams are responding to young patients that…

Case Study: AMREF Flying Doctors | A dedicated humanitarian charity out to save lives

AMREF Flying Doctors’ detail an urgent emergency aeromedical evacuation of two patients suffering from gunshot wounds following an attack in a sparsely populated area

ITIJ Air Ambulance Review March 2022 Cover

Aeromedical accreditation in a post-pandemic world

Oliver Cuenca talks to representatives from across the aeromedical accreditation industry about how the coronavirus pandemic has affected global demand, how auditing has had to adapt, and whether there have…

Interview: David Fox, Fox Flight

ITIJ spoke to David Fox, founder and President of air ambulance Fox Flight, about how the business has developed over the past 25 years, and what its plans are as…

How to make tough medical transport decisions

Where in the world should insurers always pay to evacuate their client, and what factors play into that decision? Clara Bullock spoke to assistance providers to find out how they…

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Interview: Redstar Aviation

Redstar Aviation has seized the opportunities for change presented by Covid-19. ITIJ spoke to C. Emre Dursun, CEO of Redstar Aviation, about how they have developed their provision of air…

Breaking air medical transport barriers

Transporting patients across borders can be complicated, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Clara Bullock spoke to air ambulance operators who continue to push boundaries for patients to be transported…

Isolation pods: the rush to save lives

Isolation units flooded the market during the Covid-19 pandemic, with demand unusually high. How did that influence decisions around certification and safety? Clara Bullock spoke to air ambulance providers and…

Interview: AMREF Flying Doctors

Clara Bullock spoke to Stephen Gitau, CEO of Kenya-based air medical service provider AMREF Flying Doctors, about adapting to his role during a pandemic and how he still finds his…

Case Study: AirCARE1 uses High Flow Oxygen Therapy on board its air ambulance

In the past, High Flow Oxygen Therapy has only been used in a hospital setting. After observing the major benefits of this therapy, AirCARE1 incorporated high flow into the company’s…

Case Study: How to transport a patient with respiratory insufficiency

A patient with respiratory insufficiency is likely to aggravate their respiratory distress during transport, especially with aeronautical constraints and pressurisation phenomena

Case Study: Transporting a Covid patient on ECMO across the globe

In August 2021, AirMed International set out to complete a transport that most would consider impossible. They needed to move a Covid-19 patient on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) from the…

Case Study: The challenges of neonatal medical evacuation

Neonatal medical evacuation often presents the biggest medical challenges, particularly in aeromedical transport. To provide the absolute best service, specialist knowledge and equipment is required

Case Study: Airlec Air Ambulance uses first air ambulance configuration of Falcon 900EX

Paul Tiba describes a memorable mission that made use of Airlec’s Falcon 900EX – the world’s first version of the aircraft in air ambulance configuration

Case Study: Providing air medical services in remote locations

Dr Annemay Huppert discusses the importance of preparation in providing air assistance in the most remote locations

Case Study: Unicair on how to safely transport Covid patients

Alex Veldman, Cornelia Rohrbeck, Hans-Jürgen Preuss and Michael Diefenbach report on protocols for the safe transport of Covid patients

Covid-19’s effect on the air ambulance market

The current pandemic has had a dramatic effect on air ambulance services, with many reporting lower demand amidst an obviously higher risk of infection. Clara Bullock takes a look at…

Air ambulance operations in Asia

Robyn Bainbridge takes a look at the provision of air medical operators in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region

Interview: Eva Kluge

ITIJ spoke to Eva Kluge, Director of Sales and Business Development for Air Alliance MedFlight, about the challenges 2020 has brought, and how, with the right mindset, providers can adapt…

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Air Ambulance Review | March 2020

Public Relations for air ambulance companies

Nimble tactics and long-term thinking are vital for air ambulance operators seeking to build and protect their image. When all is going well, proactive public relations (PR) can be a…

Financing fleet renewal for air ambulance operators

For fixed-wing air ambulance companies in the private sector, balancing the pros and cons of leasing or outright purchase is key, say operators. But for smaller outfits in different regions…

Air ambulance accreditation update

ITIJ spoke to representatives from EURAMI, CAMTS and NAAMTA to find out their latest news

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Air Ambulance Review | September 2019

Map of Capital Air Ambulance patient journey route Morocco to Spain

CASE STUDY: Capital Air Ambulance

A trauma case in Morocco demonstrates how working for an air ambulance company dealing with foreign repatriations requires the ability to navigate a wide range of unexpected circumstances on arrival…

Insurance for fixed-wing air ambulance operators

Air ambulance operators around the world are under pressure from health insurance and assistance companies to keep prices down, while at the same time, many are dealing with increasing hull…

Detailed flight planning key to air ambulance missions

Proper preparation enables more successful missions. James Paul Wallis goes behind the hangar door with global air ambulance operators to find out more about the effort that goes into ensuring…

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Air Ambulance Review | March 2019

Updates from CAMTS, EURAMI, NAAMTA and other accreditation organisations

ITIJ contacted CAMTS, EURAMI and NAAMTA to find out what the various accreditation organisations have been up to over the past 12 months, and what they hope to achieve in…

Air ambulance partnership deals

James Paul Wallis reports on how partnership deals between air ambulance providers can benefit patients and payers alike

Air ambulance pricing

Does a variation in pricing in the international fixed-wing air ambulance industry reflect differing quality of providers, or are some providers simply making more profit than others? James Paul Wallis…

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