Enriching patient care

You have been with Latitude Air Ambulance for almost 12 years. How do you feel the industry has changed in that time?

Time sure flies when you are having fun! There has been a great deal of change during this time, a few notable ones stand out for me:
• Enhancing safety and patient-centred care and improving the patient experience during transport – this continues to evolve each year
• Environmental considerations leaning to eco-friendly practices, zero footprint and sustainable operations, and fuelefficient aircraft
• The demand for international air ambulance services. Global expansion has increased the need for many companies to expand their reach to provide services in more areas throughout the world
• Our regulatory boards continue to implement stricter or more enhanced regulations and accreditation requirements. As a result, the industry has become more robust in its performance and services
• Advanced technology with medical equipment – we now have items we did not have 12 years ago like electronic charting and portable ultrasounds and EPOC units for example
•New tracking and booking systems
• Social media influence impeding/enhancing missions
• Software programmes being utilised within the industry, allowing for faster and more efficient communication
• Increased need for ground services. More air ambulance providers are partnered with these services to ensure seamless patient transitions
• The travel preferences and behaviours of different generations has evolved. Each group reflects their unique values and lifestyles. Providers need to be prepared to assist and repat people from some very non-traditional regions
• Competition remains fluid in this industry. There has been a combination of new, and combined companies, leading to more options for our clients. This was very apparent post Covid-19. Many providers closed, some combined their establishments, and others had to pivot to survive
• The cost of doing business was always expensive, but post pandemic costs hit record highs. The supply and demand of items such as aircraft tyres, for example, grounded some companies, forced others to make radical changes, and pushed some out of the industry.

Accreditation is becoming increasingly important in the industry. Can you tell us why these awards are so vital?

Accreditation is vital for a few reasons. They ultimately ensure safe operations and best practices are being provided. These performance metrics allow providers to benchmark their own performance against industry standards and competitors. They also allow for consumer/client awareness and trust in the provider. Latitude is accredited as a fixed wing/air ambulance for long-range/ intercontinental with Adult, Advanced Adult, and Paediatric, Critical Care endorsements.

Can you tell us about the aircraft in your fleet?

Latitude Air Ambulance has a combined fleet of nine aircraft consisting of two Lear 35A Jets, four Gulfstream G100s, and three Beech1900Ds. This allows for versatility of services such as bariatric, neonatal, tandem, and highly infectious transfers. Having multiple aircraft also reduces the risk of service disruption and allows for optimisation for specific regions. By maintaining a diverse fleet of fixed-wing aircraft, an air ambulance service can improve efficiency.

You are attending ITIC Global. What are you hoping to get out of this year’s conference?

I always look forward to attending the conference as it offers several key opportunities. The venue allows for networking and is a great way for us to reconnect with many of our clients within the industry in one place. We also look forward to building new relationships, enriching our professional development, and staying abreast of what is going on within the industry.

Looking ahead, what are Latitude Air Ambulance’s goals and priorities for 2025?

We always look for ways of enhancing patient care through enriching our protocols, focusing on best practices, and ultimately improving patient outcomes.

We also focus on operational efficiencies. Through quality assurance, tracking, and data analysis of this year, we will allow for operational decisions/changes/improvement for next year.

We look forward to maintaining our reaccreditation from EURAMI to ensure adherence to safety and quality standards. We will continue to invest in our people. We have just completed implementation of a Learning Resource Platform. This offers both specific training for our teams, as well as an array of special interest courses available for our employees and their families.