There may come a time when you will need the services of an air ambulance. If the situation in which the need arises is an emergency situation, you probably won't be the person responsible for coordinating the details. Members of an emergency response team will handle this. And that's a good thing since most people cannot be expected to react rationally in an emergency situation. In non-emergency situations however, you should be able to handle coordinating an air ambulance.

No matter which air ambulance company you contact, the process will go more smoothly if you are prepared to provide the information that likely will be requested by the air ambulance company coordinator. Here's an overview of the information you should have available before making contact.

Basic medical information

Be prepared to provide a basic explanation of the patient's current medical condition, including patient's age. You should also provide the full name, address and contact information of the facility at which the patient is currently located and that of the medical facility to which the patient is to be transported. If you have an anticipated transport date, provide that as well.

This basic information will help the air ambulance coordinator determine whether or not the company can meet your needs including your timeframe. Some companies only operate within the United States and others are set up to operate internationally. This information is also going to help determine the best type of aircraft to use for the transport which in turn will help the coordinator put together a fairly accurate price quotation.

Ask questions

Now is the time for you to ask any questions you have about the air ambulance company itself. You may want to inquire about the type of licensing the air ambulance company maintains and whether all licensing is current.

You can also inquire as to which, if any, additional services are included in the price you have been quoted. It's probably also a good idea to thoroughly understand payment terms, even if the patient's medical insurance covers air ambulance transportation. Most companies will coordinate medical insurance paperwork but while you're talking with an air ambulance representative, it doesn't hurt to find out whether this service is included in the price.

And if you need further convincing, ask the air ambulance company representative to provide you with a list of names and phone numbers of patients who have recently used their services. If you are able to get a list of references, be sure to contact some people. Ask if they were satisfied with the professionalism and training of the staff, if the flight departed and landed on time, and if they had any issues with excessive fees that were not quoted.

Repeat the steps

It never hurts to call a couple of different air ambulance companies before making a final decision about who will transport your loved one. You should be able to get a good feel for the air ambulance company after talking with the flight coordinator. Good luck!