Whenever there's a need for an air ambulance, people tend to concern themselves with the pilot. They want to make sure that the air ambulance pilot has the training and the background necessary to safely get the patient from Point A to Point B. Their concerns are legitimate, and surely without a capable person at the ready, patients could be in even more danger than they already are.

Air ambulance pilots need specialized training since the conditions onboard aren't always as controlled as they are on commercial flights. For example, air ambulance pilots often don't get to touch down on landing strips and during each flight they need to carefully monitor the altitude so that the patient's care isn't compromised.

But an air ambulance mission involves more than the pilot. Here's a listing of the other key players in this important business along with a brief description of the responsibilities of each.

Medical Director

This person is responsible for managing and supervising the care that patients are given throughout an air ambulance mission. The medical director participates in pre-flight medical consulting, approves the medical team and standing medical orders, maintains quality, develops policies and procedures, and much more. It too is an important role and the success or failure of each mission can depend upon how well the Medical Director does the job.

Medical Team

The medical team includes those specially-trained individuals who will accompany the patient during air ambulance transportation. Remember, patients often travel via helicopter or small aircraft and after allowing for the necessary medical equipment, there isn't much room left over. That's why the medical team onboard an air ambulance typically doesn't consist of more than two paramedics. Again, depending on a patient's needs, a registered nurse, a physician, a pediatrician or other medical specialist may also be onboard.

The basic responsibilities of the air ambulance medical team are to continually monitor the patient's vital statistics and administer medication as necessary. For those trips that require a stop for fuel, the medical team will remain onboard with the patient. In some instances, the medical team will need to accompany the patient during ground transportation to the intended medical facility.

Flight Coordinators

Air ambulance transportation flight coordinators work out the many details involved with air ambulance service. This is the person who will make contact with the patient's medical insurance provider to find out whether a trip in an air ambulance is covered by the insurance, and if so, the percentage that is covered. Flight coordinators process related paperwork to and from the insurer so patients or their relatives don't have to be bothered with this task.

Besides the huge task of dealing with insurance, air ambulance flight coordinators allocate and notify the crew, select the appropriate aircraft, and arrange ground transportation to the departing location and also upon arrival at the destination.

The above is meant only as a general guideline. Since every air ambulance mission is different, the composition of the crew can also be different.