Transparency in air medical operations

It’s quite a difficult time for the industry currently. Do you think insurers have become more cautious about commissioning air ambulance flights due to rising costs?

Yes, insurers might look into other solutions such as local treatment in combination with medical escort services. The shift in their approach is understandable, given the increasing cost. There will always be cases, however, that do require an air ambulance service. We maintain close communication with our clients and provide complimentary air ambulance training sessions, also offering insights about when an air ambulance is the only option or when we could offer a different solution such as a commercial medical escort service. 

How are current geopolitical events influencing your business, if at all?

Geopolitical events do indirectly influence our operations. There are many examples, however, the most obvious in our region might be travel restrictions, economic sanctions and political unrest. For instance, changes in visa policies or health regulations can affect our ability to perform medical evacuations across borders. Additionally, fluctuations in fuel prices, often driven by international tensions, significantly impact our operational costs. To mitigate these challenges, USMX AirLink maintains robust risk management and dynamic operational planning. We stay closely connected with global health authorities and adapt quickly to ensure the safety and reliability of our services, despite the changing geopolitical landscape.

Staff shortages are an issue throughout the industry. What, if anything, are you doing to try to recruit and retain staff?

I think is fair to say that the situation in relation to pilots is more or less homogeneous for many countries. There is basically more demand than supply. Within AirLink, we have been lucky to work with a very experienced and well-connected Chief Pilot for the last 25 years. Our Chief Pilot has helped to set up and run our own aviation school where we select and (partly) train pilots ourselves. Choosing the right personalities and characters is crucial but also caring for them and treating them well is as important to create loyalty and to retain staff.

For medical crew, however, situations are very different depending on each country. In Mexico, for example, we do not have problems with recruitment of medical crew. As a matter of fact, the opposite is true. There are many qualified doctors and medical professionals in Mexico that we could train to become excellent medical flight crew. The main reason for this is the reduced cost of medical services in Mexico. In additional to that, air ambulance companies generally price their services based on global rates, most of the time in USD or euros. The cost of the salaries of Mexican physicians or paramedics is significantly lower than the cost of a physician or nurse based in the US, for example, with the same training and experience.

In the United States the opposite is true. The cost of medical services in the US is so expensive –due to a number of social economic and political reasons – that in a cost-sensitive service such as air ambulance, it is hard to compete and provide the same wages (that) not only the private but also the state-run hospital sector could afford.

USMX AirLink Air Ambulance was a finalist in the ITIJ Awards 2023 – congratulations. Why do you think awards such as this are important?

Thank you! We were very honoured. I think awards are important as it is a way to recognise companies who go above and beyond to serve their patients around the globe and make positive changes in the international travel insurance industry. These companies deserve to stand out and receive recognition. By showcasing the achievements of nominees and winners, we can motivate each other to elevate industry standards and patient care.

It’s the company’s 25th anniversary. What aspects do you think have meant the company has remained so successful for so long?

Apart from our high-quality medical service and excellent aviation safety, we are an honest, ethical and trustworthy group of committed people. Our clients and partners like us because of that. AirLink has a very low employee turnover, which has resulted in consistency of our way of working. The diversification of businesses of the USMX AirLink Holding Group has kept us financially stable over the years.

If you could change anything about the medical assistance sector, what would it be?

First of all, I envision (and wish) that the air ambulance industry in Mexico would become more transparent. For years, AirLink have been advocating against doubtful and corrupt practices of some of the industry players in our region. After lots of thought and conversations on how to initiate change, we decided to divaricate ourselves and start a new move. We did that by voluntarily undergoing a comprehensive due diligence process administered by Tcompliance, a US third-party risk management organisation. By doing this, we invested in innovation by creating an official demonstration of commercial transparency. We expect other players in Mexico to follow so together we can create a safer and more transparent provider network in Mexico. Secondly, I envision (and wish) that our industry as a whole would become greener and eventually environmentally sustainable. Apart from our own micro initiatives within AirLink, such as planting trees, we are in talks with committees and accreditation organisations to see what we can do collectively as an industry.