Air ambulances saves lives…
Air ambulances can pay a crucial role in saving lives of highway accident victims and critically-ill persons, who are a fair distance away from asssistance. With road infrastructure remaining poor in many areas, air ambulances can reduce travel time to hospital tremendously. Patients based in remote areas who have suffered heart attack and stroke can also be shifted to the nearest city by an air ambulance, within the ‘golden hour’ of 60 minutes.
On the flip side, air ambulance services cost upwards of Rs 1 lakh per hour, which is unaffordable for many. An option for an individual or family is to subscribe to an annual plan offered by some of the air ambulance companies. For a yearly rate of around Rs 30,000, a family is assured of air ambulance service being available should a need arise. It is high time that medical insurance companies in India do cover evacuation by air ambulance, like it is in countries like USA and UK.
Features of air ambulance services…
Air ambulance companies operate on 24 x 7 basis and can be in the air at short notice so that pick-up of patient takes place as soon as possible. Both helicopters and small planes can be converted into air ambulances. Each air ambulance is well-equipped with flight stretcher, specialized medical equipment and medication. It is manned by a full-fledged medical team. As a result, the patient receives critical medical care right from the moment he or she is picked up.