Imagine you are relaxing on vacation in a tropical destination when disaster strikes. Whether you are stuck by a typhoon or tsunami, critical illness or a serious accident, medflight services may be the only option to transfer you and your loved ones to immediate medical care. Of course, when we're planning a trip with family or friends to an exotic destination, critical illness or accidents are usually the last thing on our minds. However, in this age of travel to remote destinations, increased political unrest and rising occurrences of natural disasters, an insurance policy that includes medflight coverage is imperative for anyone who travels. Medflight services are included in an estimated 5% of health insurance claims. While this may not seem like a high percentage, it translates into more than half a million air ambulance transfers per year, in the United States alone. If you're not familiar with what medflight programs offer individuals, both in their home country and internationally, read on for more information about this potentially life-saving provision. Wondering what Medflight care includes? Patients are flown by air ambulance for a variety of reasons.

These can range from seriously injured patient involved in a car accident, or a more stable person suffering from a serious illness who requests to be transferred closer to their hometown, to an intensive care patient who has recently suffered a heart attack or stroke. For each of these situations, medflight personnel will be selected who have specialized skills to meet the needs of their patient and ensure a safe transfer to continue their medical care. Medflight ambulances are staffed with teams that may include: " Pediatricians " In-flight surgeons " Paramedics " Intensive Care Nurses " Internal Medicine Specialists " Organ transplantation teams " Respiratory Therapists While the pilot and flight crew are never distracted from the flight deck to assist in caring for a patient, the rest of the staff work together to make sure that the patient remains stable.

As necessary, they are equipped provide CPR, ventilation, or other life support measures. While there is no single standard as to what type of aircraft is used, medflights are usually performed in fixed wing aircraft. They vary in size from small, single engine turboprops to large Gulfstream jets and helicopters. The aircraft to be dispatched is selected according to availability, the geographic location of the transfer or the distance to be covered by the medflight. Whatever type of aircraft is used, you can be sure it has been selected for its fast, versatile performance during emergencies and safe track record in being used in thousands of critical situations. Medflight care is on the rise: With tourists heading further and further afield, there is no wonder that the services provided medflight care are in more demand than ever before. Advanced medical techniques also allow in-flight medical teams to provided specialized care for immediate stabilization. The added benefit of safe and efficient transfer to a hospital or medical center means that many more patients can be saved than by means of traditional ground ambulance transfer.