The Standards Needed for Air Ambulances and Paramedics

In most jurisdictions, air ambulance pilots must have a great deal of experience in piloting their aircraft because the conditions of air ambulance flights are often more challenging than regular non-emergency flight services. After a spike in air ambulance crashes in the United States in the 1990s, the U.S. government and the Commission on Air Medical Transportation Systems (CAMTS) stepped up the accreditation and air ambulance flight requirements, ensuring that all pilots, personnel, and aircraft meet much higher standards than previously required. 

The resulting CAMTS accreditation, which applies only in the United States, includes the requirement for an air ambulance company to own and operate its own aircraft. Some air ambulance companies, realizing it is virtually impossible to have the correct medicalized aircraft for every mission, instead charter aircraft based on the mission-specific requirements.

While in principle CAMTS accreditation is voluntary, a number of government jurisdictions require companies providing medical transportation services to have CAMTS accreditation to be licensed to operate. This is an increasing trend as state health services agencies address the issues surrounding the safety of emergency medical services flights. According to the rationale used to justify the state of Washington’s adoption of the accreditation requirements, requiring accreditation of air ambulance services provides assurance that the service meets national public safety standards. 

The accreditation is done by professionals who are qualified to determine air ambulance safety. In addition, compliance with accreditation standards is checked on a continual basis by the accrediting organization. Accreditation standards are periodically revised to reflect the dynamic, changing environment of medical transport, with considerable input from all disciplines of the medical profession.

In the UK, the AAA has a Code of Conduct that binds one of the most regulated areas of operation together. It brings the Fundraising Standards Board, CAA / EASA and the CQC together ensuring fundraising, air and clinical operations are in line with national regulation and best practice. The code goes further with an expectation of mutual support and working within its policy and best practice guides.

Medical control

The nature of the air operation frequently determines the type of medical control required. In most cases, an air ambulance staffer is considerably more skilled than a typical paramedic, so medical control permits them to exercise more medical decision-making latitude. Assessment skills tend to be considerably higher, and, particularly on inter-facility transfers, permit inclusion of functions such as reading x-rays and interpretation of lab results. This allows for planning, consultation with supervising physicians, and issuing contingency orders in case they are required during flight. Some systems operate almost entirely off-line, using protocols for almost all procedures and only resorting to on-line medical control when protocols have been exhausted. Some air ambulance operations have full-time, on site medical directors with pertinent backgrounds (e.g., emergency medicine); others have medical directors who are only available by pager. For those systems operating on the Franco-German model, the physician is almost always physically present, and medical control is not an issue.

Equipment and interiors

Most aircraft used as air ambulances, with the exception of charter aircraft and some military aircraft, are equipped for advanced life support and have interiors that reflect this. The challenges in most air ambulance operations, particularly those involving helicopters, are the high ambient noise levels and limited amounts of working space, both of which create significant issues for the provision of ongoing care. While equipment tends to be high-level and very conveniently grouped, it may not be possible perform some assessment procedures, such as chest auscultation, while in flight. In some types of aircraft, the aircraft’s design means that the entire patient is not physically accessible in flight. Additional issues occur with respect to pressurization of the aircraft. Not all aircraft used as air ambulances in all jurisdictions have pressurized cabins, and those that do typically tend to be pressurized to only 10,000 feet above sea level. These pressure changes require advanced knowledge by flight staff with respect to the specifics of aviation medicine, including changes in physiology and the behaviour of gases.

Due to the configuration of the medical crew and patient compartments, these aircraft are normally configured to only transport one patient but some can be configured to transport two patients if so needed. Additionally, helicopters have stricter weather minimums that they can operate in and commonly do not fly at altitudes over 10,000 feet above sea level.

Here comes Air Ambulance into the picture in India. Book Air Ambulance is a critical care service for all your medical emergency needs that has prevailed in India. We aim at providing the quickest possible healthcare, especially during emergencies. We make every minute count during our patients golden hour.

The charges are different based on the package you decide to select, but Book a air ambulance in raipur India offers discounts up to 50% in membership fees for the first 5000 members. Book Air Ambulance offers a variety of packages tailored to match your specific needs. Here’s all you need to know regarding our packages.

Specifically, we have 3 packages to offer:

Ayu Gold

Package of Book Air Ambulance has a membership fee of Rs.5000 which offers a 35% discount on tariff and has a 1-year validity. This package you can get the same offer for an immediate family member to avail of the same services.

Vansh Gold

Package of Book Air Ambulance has a membership fee of Rs.8000 that offers a 45% discount on tariff and has a 1-year validity. In this package, you can get the same offer for 4 immediate family members to avail of the same services.

Vansh Platinum

Package of Book Air Ambulance has a membership fee of Rs.13000 that offers a 50% discount on tariff and has a 1-year validity. This package you can get the same offer for 6 immediate family members to avail of the same services.

Additionally, membership will grant you discounts on the purchase of goods and services from some of India’s top brands who are our preferred partners. Besides patient transfer discount, you are also eligible to avail discounts in pharmacy and health care products, diagnostics and health check-up packages, and an assortment of lifestyle and travel products and services from our partners and associates.

Here is your chance to ensure the safety and security of you and your loved ones. Do not wait for an emergency to occur, take matters into your hand and make the wise decision and buy the Book Air Ambulance package that suits your needs. Don’t take a risk with the life of your loved ones. We promise the best healthcare and professional paramedics for all. So, before it’s too late, book only the Leading Air Ambulance in India — Book an Air Ambulance and let us take the best possible care we can.

You can now avail the complete benefit of Book Air Ambulance services all over India at an extremely reasonable cost. We are the one-stop destination for all the varied kinds of air ambulances and emergency medical needs. You can trust us for a convenient plan if you’re ever in any critical medical emergencies for we have only the best expert medical team and offer an advance life support system.