Our case handlers will assess individuals using specific information criteria in order to construct tailor-made healthcare solutions for every individual patient. These assessments include, but are not confined to the following:

• Current medical situation including a detailed medical report of illness and/or injury details
• Relevant past medical history
• Allergies, Sensitivities, Pharmaceutical and dietary needs
• Immediate clinical care and support requirements
• Long-term clinical care and support requirements
• Functional level and abilities
• Rehabilitation or ongoing management requirements
• Special medical equipment requirements
• Cognitive, emotional and mood issues
• Family concerns
• Cultural and religious issues

Our in-house medical team of experienced doctors and nurses are able to offer advice to patients, nominated family members and/or travelling companions with regard to their current medical situation and anticipated medical pathway in terms of planned clinical management overseas or in regards to a true patient journey by road, air or other means.

CLCA AeroMed also offers expert medical opinions and ‘second opinions’ to other healthcare or insurance professionals regarding the safety and efficacy of patient transport/repatriation for individual cases.

CLCA AeroMed has extensive expertise in the management of critical care and high-dependency patients of all ages and medical subspecialties, including paediatrics (child health). In addition, our team have a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the flight environment and of the physiological, physical and psychological stresses of patient transport between hospitals. In general, these aviation physiology principles are not well understood by hospital consultants and we are able to advise on the benefits versus risks of various transport options.

By definition, this is the process of organising the different elements of a case that allows it to run smoothly. This will involve:

• Acquiring medical reports from hospitals and clinical staff
• Ground ambulance organisation before and after a flight
• Organising highly experienced clinical staff for the patient’s medical and nursing needs for all aspects of the transfer
• Booking further transport including air ambulance, as required
• Special equipment booking, collection and checking
• Booking taxis, accommodation and services that may be needed for the patient’s travelling companion and accompanying medical staff
• Border and security arrangement
• Arranging translation services
• Liaising with referring and receiving medical teams, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, residential, nursing or domiciliary care teams.
• Liaising with insurers, other medical assistance companies and other agencies that commissioned our services.
• Communications with airlines, special assistance services, air ambulance providers and specialist ground ambulance providers.
• Communications with the UK National Health Service (NHS) and other government departments.
• Discussions with overseas government departments, embassies and consulates.
• Communications with charitable bodies and other sources of patient transport funding.

CLCA AeroMed recognises that the key to efficient operations is good communication. To that end, our policies ensure that we emphasise key point communication in every mission. This enables us to ensure that all interested parties are aware of the individual’s current situation and anticipated steps to follow. Interested parties may include, but are not confined to the following:

• The patient
• Next of kin
• Travelling companion
• Nominated or legal patient representative
• Commissioning Authority (‘Who pays the bill’). eg
  • Insurer
  • Employer
  • Government
  • Private individual
• Treating medical consultant
• A senior nurse at the treating hospital
• Ambulance controllers at the patient’s points of origin and destination
• Receiving medical consultant
• A senior nurse at the receiving hospital
• Handling agents at airports
• Taxis booked for transport of third parties

Following assessments carried out by our staff or other medical teams, our case handlers will formulate a detailed plan that is specific to the patient’s medical and nursing needs. This will include recommendations and costs associated with the immediate and future treatment of the patient which will encompass travel, equipment, therapies and possibly ongoing management, including domiciliary care.

CLCA AeroMed has a bank of trained and experienced healthcare professionals who are ready to respond to any urgent calls for patient transfer or simply to give advice. Our 24/7/365 service has the capability of providing key solutions to a wide range of medical, health and nursing care problems around the clock. Our expertise allows us to implement and coordinate the plans that have been provided to us or devised by our in-house team.

CLCA AeroMed’s Flight Medical Crew personnel carry state-of-the-art, modern, patient clinical monitoring devices to ensure the safety and correct management of all patients during transport. If needed, the flight teams are able to communicate with our operations centre to report significant findings or to seek specialist advice en route.

Every mission undertaken by CLCA AeroMed is tracked from the moment our medical team departs to connect with our patients until they are safely handed over at their destination. This information is used for keeping all interested and authorised parties updated concerning the progress and status of the mission. This monitoring service is also accessible to family and medical teams and is especially important to keep key people informed if inadvertent delays occur.

Our in-house medical team has the capability of requesting overseas medical reports, further interrogation and clarification or expansion of these reports, and if necessary, obtaining translations into the required language. We also offer a first or second opinion on a wide range of possible healthcare dilemmas using the expertise within our own resources.

It is our standard practice to request feedback on every mission flown or other significant cases as part of our quality improvement programme. We send invitations for feedback containing scoring systems and space for written comments to our patients (or their travelling companions/next of kin), the receiving medical team and to the person or organisation that commissioned the case. The responses received are reviewed by our case management staff and any issues that require improvement or other action are recorded and sent to the senior management for further action. In this way, we continuously strive to improve the performance and efficacy of our services. Customer service is paramount to our total package of patient care.