Each year, tourists head to more and more remote destinations around the globe, seeking the next undiscovered beaches, mountain peaks and isolated villages. As people venture to such far-flung, exotic places, the need for comprehensive medical insurance is more important than ever. Specifically, this means insurance that includes air transport with a medical escort. While most seasoned travelers take basic precautions to protect themselves when they travel, receiving vaccinations and carrying appropriate medications, it is the unexpected events that can demand the services of a medical escort company. A policy that includes this type of coverage means that all logistical aspects of the insured party's medical care will be covered, including air lift with a medical escort and transfer to a chosen hospital or medical center. In remote or mountainous locations, seriously injured or unstable patients cannot be safely or efficiently transferred by ground ambulance. In such instances, an air ambulance can mean the difference between life and death. When the Unexpected Happens:

The need for medical escorts does not necessarily arise from a sudden accident or natural disaster, although these situations do occur from time to time. More often it is after exposure to a tropical environment or unfamiliar foods that a person's health can deteriorate rapidly and dramatically. This risk is highest for infants, the elderly and those whose immune systems have been compromised. Fortunately, medical escorts and paramedics are trained to cope with all types of illness and injury. Although only an estimated 5% of all claims involves an air transfer with medical escorts, this translates to more than 25,000 incidents worldwide each year. Increasing sales of travel insurance indicates that a positive trend is developing: people have learned that even on vacation, it's better to be safe than sorry.

What Medical Escorts Do: Medical escorts are highly trained physicians, paramedics and nurses. They are on call twenty four hours a day to travel remote areas on a moment's notice in order to provide urgent or emergency medical aid. Whether individuals are hundreds or thousands of miles from quality hospital care, medical escorts can provide on-site treatment including defibrillation, ventilation and trauma assessment. Most importantly, when time is the most critical factor, they can continue care on an air ambulance. Air lifts ensure that the patient is transferred from a remote area to hospital or medical center, often within a matter of minutes. In less serious cases, patients may be transferred on commercial airlines with the support of a medical escort. Usually, the airline will allow the individual to travel on a row of economy seats or in first class for comfort. However, individuals in need of intensive care and monitoring are generally transferred by air ambulances or helicopters. The Option of Going Home: One of the key benefits of air ambulance services with medical escort staff is that ill or injured individuals may have the option of returning to their home country for treatment. Once the patient's condition has stabilized, medical escorts can continue providing care even during an extended flight home. This allows the individual to receive the hospital care of their choice, in familiar surroundings in their first language and with the support of friends and family.