ITIC Global 2026 | Air Ambulance Forum: Fair value and transparent pricing mechanisms

The ITIJ team have been reporting from ITIC Global in Istanbul this week (1–5 November 2026), sharing the discussions that take place at the conference. Read all reports.

Nicolas Torchin, Global Head of Network and GPPO, Redion

Selecting the right air ambulance provider is no longer simply a question of availability or price, according to Torchin, who opened the session by outlining how digitalisation is reshaping procurement and decision-making across the medical assistance sector.

He explained that the industry has evolved from relationship-led, locally managed sourcing towards a globally connected marketplace, supported by greater access to data and digital tools.

While finding providers has become easier, selecting the most appropriate operator for each mission remains a challenge.

“The key question is how we select the right provider, for the right patient, at the right time,” he noted.

Torchin explained that Redion had moved from locally managed networks towards a global governance model, combining shared technology and decision-making frameworks with regional expertise.

He emphasised that governance was essential to delivering fair value, with procurement decisions extending beyond the traditional approach of requesting quotations, comparing prices, and selecting a provider.

While digital platforms can accelerate procurement and provide valuable information, human judgement must remain central to decision-making

Instead, assistance companies must consider a broader range of factors, including clinical suitability, operational reliability, patient pooling, aircraft capacity, flight hours, empty-leg opportunities, preferred routings, and long-term provider partnerships.

Torchin highlighted that the average difference between the cheapest quotation and the offer ultimately selected is in double digits, demonstrating that assistance companies do not necessarily prioritise the lowest price.

He also stressed that, while digital platforms can accelerate procurement and provide valuable information, human judgement must remain central to decision-making.

“Decision ownership cannot be automated,” he said, arguing that technology should support, rather than replace, clinical and operational expertise.

Ultimately, Torchin called for greater transparency and predictability in pricing, with assistance companies considering the final cost of a mission rather than focusing solely on the initial quotation.

The objective, he concluded, should be “not a fixed price, but a final cost we can predict, understand, and justify”.

Yasin Faysal Kılıçaslan, Redstar Aviation Şirketinde Operational Sales Manager, Redstar Aviation

Digitalisation is transforming air ambulance procurement, but faster quotations do not necessarily translate into faster or more effective patient transfers, according to Kılıçaslan.

“Digitalisation is not a thing of the future. It is how we operate today,” he said, emphasising the need for technology to support more informed operational decisions rather than simply accelerate existing processes.

Kılıçaslan argued that digital procurement platforms should be integrated with the operational systems used by air ambulance providers, incorporating real-time information on aircraft availability, positioning, crew status, and mission requirements.

Such integration could reduce unnecessary email correspondence, automate routine updates, and allow medical and operational teams to concentrate on more complex decisions.

However, he warned that operational circumstances could change rapidly, with shifting airspace restrictions, traffic conditions, and patient requirements affecting a provider’s ability to complete a mission. Information that was accurate six months ago may no longer reflect an operator’s current capabilities.

“The fastest quotation is not always the fastest mission,” he explained.

A provider offering a slightly slower or more expensive quotation may ultimately deliver a more efficient transfer through better aircraft positioning, regional knowledge, or routing options.

Digitalisation should make air ambulance procurement not only faster, but more operationally intelligent

Kılıçaslan stressed that patients benefit not from the fastest or cheapest quotation, but from a safe, timely, and effective transfer.

Looking ahead, he suggested that the next generation of digital platforms should better reflect operational capabilities and reliability, helping assistance companies identify providers best equipped to complete individual missions.

Nevertheless, he emphasised that technology must complement, rather than replace, clinical expertise and human judgement.

Ultimately, Kılıçaslan argued that digitalisation should make air ambulance procurement not only faster, but more operationally intelligent, ensuring that decisions reflect the realities of delivering complex medical transport missions.

Anne Rodenburg, Commercial Director, USMX AirLink Ambulance

Speaking from a regional air ambulance operator’s perspective, Rodenburg examined how digital procurement platforms are creating new opportunities for smaller providers to connect with international insurers and assistance companies, while raising concerns about fair pricing and the risk of commoditisation.

Technology, she explained, is making geographical location less of a barrier, giving regional operators access to customers and markets that were previously difficult to reach.

However, greater visibility does not necessarily mean that buyers understand what individual providers can offer.

“Being visible is only the first step. Being understood is what matters,” she said.

Regional providers, she explained, are often better equipped to anticipate these challenges, drawing on established relationships and firsthand experience to avoid delays and operational difficulties

Rodenburg questioned whether standardised digital comparisons adequately reflect the differences between operators, particularly when it comes to regional expertise, cultural understanding, operational experience, and mission history.

She warned that focusing too heavily on price and availability risks treating air ambulance services as interchangeable, overlooking the specialist knowledge that can determine whether a mission runs smoothly.

Using Mexico as an example, Rodenburg highlighted the challenges international operators can face navigating customs procedures, local regulations, and ethical considerations, including requests for bribes.

Regional providers, she explained, are often better equipped to anticipate these challenges, drawing on established relationships and firsthand experience to avoid delays and operational difficulties.

Rodenburg argued that fair value requires looking beyond quotations to understand what each provider can deliver in practice.

She also identified opportunities for artificial intelligence (AI) to improve provider assessments, particularly through case management tools that incorporate operational experience, mission histories, and regional capabilities into recommendations.

Such developments could help regional operators demonstrate their value more effectively, rather than competing primarily on price.

Ultimately, Rodenburg called for digital procurement systems to recognise the expertise behind successful missions, ensuring that greater transparency leads to better-informed decisions rather than simply easier price comparisons.

Volker Lemke, Managing Director, FAI Air Ambulance

Two air ambulance quotations may appear comparable on price but offer substantially different levels of clinical care and operational capability, according to Lemke, who questioned whether digital procurement platforms and AI could adequately assess the complexities of medical transport.

To illustrate the issue, Lemke compared two hypothetical quotations for the same route, each priced at €135,100. While one included an intensive care physician, ICU nurse, ventilator, and advanced monitoring equipment, the other offered a flight nurse, paramedic, and advanced life support transport setup.

The providers also differed in their experience of managing long-haul ventilated patients, highlighting the importance of looking beyond headline prices when selecting an air ambulance service.

The cheapest quote is not the cheapest case

Lemke also shared an example of two quotations for an apparently identical mission that differed considerably in price. On closer examination, the cheaper option involved a 28-day wait, demonstrating how important operational details can be overlooked in automated comparisons.

He argued that AI cannot always read between the lines, particularly when assessing medical crew qualifications, equipment, clinical experience, aircraft amenities, routing, and refuelling requirements.

“The cheapest quote is not the cheapest case,” he warned, pointing to the potential consequences of selecting an unsuitable provider, including delays, diversions, and additional medical costs.

While acknowledging that AI can accelerate procurement and help compare providers, Lemke emphasised that technology cannot replace clinical judgement or professional responsibility.

“It’s a good co-pilot, but it’s not a pilot,” he said.

Lemke called for greater transparency around clinical capabilities, equipment, and operational arrangements, suggesting that standardised service descriptions could help assistance companies make more meaningful comparisons and select the most appropriate provider for each patient.