The value of non-emergency medical transport

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Ambulances are more than just emergency vehicles. These days, they’re often used by patients that require transport for non-emergency cases. Many of these patients often don’t have their own means of transportation or find it difficult to travel to healthcare facilities due to disability or old age. 

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Many studies have also shown that the lack of transportation is a barrier to care. Many low-income individuals are unable to regularly go to hospitals and clinics for checkups and preventative care due to the fact that they do not own a car or they cannot afford the extra costs of transportation. With access to non-emergency medical transport, patients who need the service can expect better health outcomes that come with regularity in their trips to medical institutions for primary and preventative care.

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Apart from this, studies have also shown that medical transport is vital to the treatment of individuals with behavioral health issues. Treatments for behavior health problems help patients to become productive members of society and transportation is integral to their treatment.

Medical transport, however, may not always be easy to obtain. People are often unsure if their insurance or if Medicare covers the costs of medical transportation services. In most cases, insurance and Medicare may cover the costs of medical transportation if it meets a medical necessity. Patients are required to have a document from their doctor that proves the necessity of the service with regards to their condition.

Balboa Ambulance Service is the only private medical transportation provider in San Diego County that is capable of offering a fully comprehensive transportation package. For more information about medical transport, follow this Facebook page.

Recognizing emergencies: When to call an ambulance

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In emergency situations, a timely call to an ambulance service dispatch could mean the difference between life and death. Some people refrain from calling an ambulance even for emergencies because they believe that they can get to the hospital faster if they drove themselves.

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What they don’t realize is that ambulances and other emergency medical transport services are equipped with life-saving equipment and staffed with highly-trained emergency medical technicians who provide medical assistance on the way to the hospital. In addition, emergency medical transport services are trained to take the fastest routes to the hospital, navigate through traffic quickly, and communicate the details of the patient's condition to the hospital before arrival.

When deciding whether or not one should call an ambulance, one should consider the following:

• Is the condition life threatening? Conditions that require ambulance services are stroke, heart attack, drug overdose, and head injuries. Conditions for which one should not call an ambulance are labor/childbirth, back pain, and drunkenness (if conscious.)

• Are there possible causes for delay on the way to the hospital, such as inclement weather, traffic, or distance?

• Could the condition worsen and become critical en route to the hospital?

• Could moving the patient cause further injury?

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If unsure, it's still best to err on the side of caution and call an ambulance, so that the call taker could determine if an ambulance should indeed be dispatched.  

Balboa Ambulance Service provides a full range of medical transport services including wheelchair, long distance, air ambulance, and critical care transport to clients in San Diego County. For discussions on emergency medical transport services, like this Facebook page.

Checking for the costs of an air ambulance service

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Transport to a medical facility by air ambulance is sometimes necessary as it could save a person’s life. In most cases, however, people are advised to think of other means before choosing this option, especially for non-life threatening situations, as it comes with a large sum that could burden them for a lifetime.

There are no requirements regarding the fees involved and short flights can cost anywhere from $12,000 to $25,000. There isn’t much that a person can do during an emergency and air transport is a necessity to save the patient’s life. In other situations, however, one can do a few things in order to determine if the situation is dire enough to rationalize the costs involved.

First, experts recommend asking medical transport companies for a quotation. While doing so, it is also important to determine if the asking price is all-inclusive or if there are other costs involved such as for the ground transportation to and from the hospitals and the aircraft.

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If air transport is deemed necessary, it would be wise to fully examine the services offered by the medical transport company. Does the company offer transportation for patients who are unable to travel via commercial airline? Do they offer in-flight services for medical requirements during
transport? Do they have a service that can connect patients with their families during the entire trip?

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Meanwhile, checking one’s health insurance policy is also important. Some may cover part of the air transport cost when the medical necessity is established and finding if this applies to the patient’s situation may make the air transport option more viable.

Balboa Ambulance Service offers a full range of medical transportation services to the residents of San Diego County. For more information about its air ambulance service, visit the company’s official website.

The benefits of air medical transport services

Medical transportation is more than just a business. For more than a decade, medical transport companies have saved thousands of lives by providing comprehensive air transportation for patients who need to travel to healthcare facilities from the trauma scene.

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But there is more to medical transport services than what people know.

According to accident scene transport studies, medical transportation, such as helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), has proven to be an effective way to deliver advanced medical treatment to the critically ill and injured. Moreover, it also decreases a patient’s out of hospital time, providing definitive care rapidly and effectively in order to decrease patient morbidity and mortality.

A study in the U.K. also illustrated that the survival benefit in patients with low probability of survival was due to the combination of HEMS transport and hospital care.

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In some cases, medical transport services are also seen as the most economical and efficient means of transportation, considering the urgency of the situation and the client's medical condition. It has proven to be the most efficient means to get advanced care for patients, especially for those who are from accident scenes located in an outlying area or traffic congested suburbs.

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Balboa Ambulance Service is one of the top private medical transportation service providers in San Diego, Calif. Get more information about the company by visiting this Linkedin page.

A medical transportation service with a mission

The mission of providing unparalleled customer service and exceptional clinical patient care defines Balboa Ambulance Service (B.A.S.).

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Since December 1989, the private medical transportation provider has given medical transportation services to more than 100 skilled nursing facilities and acute care hospitals throughout San Diego County. B.A.S. upgraded its services by establishing an Air Ambulance Division in 1992. And to complete its wide range of services, it created a special events division.

The private medical transportation provider is recognized as a one-stop-shop solution with a sagacity for operating the business. Notwithstanding other competitors in the industry, B.A.S. utilizes multi-faceted resources essential to cover customer needs and expectations. This sets the company apart from other providers with limited services. 

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While Balboa Ambulance employs certified and licensed professionals, it continues to monitor and test them through its Continuing Medical Education Programs. Nurses, medics, and medical technicians are screened to guarantee that they meet the top safety standards and are qualified to perform their respective duties. Quality and improvement directors ensure that both ground and air ambulance transport services and personnel work towards a proactive and preventive medical service operation.

With its customers on top of the priority list, B.A.S. serves to advance safety, patient care, and customer service with unparalleled motivation. As one nurse puts it: "I always look forward to working with Balboa Ambulance crews. I feel confident that my patients will be cared for in a professional manner. The teamwork that I experience with them is outstanding. The fact that they are proficient in their skills makes my job that much easier."

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Find out about the fully comprehensive transportation package at Balboa Ambulance Service by visiting this Facebook page.