How a medical repatriation works, step by step
From your first call to the handover at the receiving hospital, one coordinator follows the patient’s file. Here is what happens at each stage, and what we need from you to move quickly and safely.
Six steps from your request to arrival
- Your request. You call us at any time or send the quote form. We note where the patient is, where they need to go, the date you hope for, their condition in a few words and how they can travel: seated, lying down or in an incubator. A coordinator becomes your single point of contact and calls you back [usual call-back time].
- Medical assessment. Our medical team contacts the treating doctor and reviews a recent medical report. Together they decide whether the patient can travel, which type of transport is safest and what care is needed during the journey.
- Written quote. You receive an itemised quote [usual time to send a quote]: medical team, aircraft or airline seats, ground ambulances, permits and airport fees. When an insurer or an assistance company is involved, we work with its case manager on a guarantee of payment.
- Organisation. Once the quote is accepted, we confirm a bed with the receiving hospital, obtain the flight permits or the airline’s medical approval, assign the medical team and equipment, and book the ground ambulances at both ends.
- The journey. An ambulance collects the patient from their room. The medical team stays with them from bed to bed, monitors them in flight and keeps the family informed through the coordinator.
- Handover. At the receiving hospital, our doctor or nurse hands the patient over to the care team with a transfer report. Insurers receive the medical report and the invoice they need to close the file.
What we need from you
The faster we have these elements, the faster the transport can be organised. Do not worry if some are missing: your coordinator will help you obtain them.
- The name of the hospital where the patient is, and the contact details of the treating doctor.
- A recent medical report, which our medical team requests directly from the treating doctor if needed.
- The patient’s identity documents and, if they apply, visas or residence permits for the patient and any accompanying relative.
- The details of the insurance or assistance contract, if there is one, with its case number.
- The destination: a receiving hospital, or the city where the patient should be treated.
- One family contact person who can be reached at all times.
Our guide to medical repatriation documents explains each of them, including the MEDIF that airlines ask for.
How long does it take?
It depends on the patient’s condition, the distance and the formalities. For an air ambulance, the timescale mostly depends on flight permits, airport opening hours and the receiving hospital’s confirmation. For a stretcher or a medical escort on a scheduled flight, it also depends on the airline’s medical approval and on seat availability.
Our usual time from your agreement to take-off is [usual time from agreement to take-off]. Your coordinator gives you a realistic schedule as soon as the medical assessment is done. Routes from Africa have specific constraints, explained in our guide to medical repatriation from Africa.
A process adapted to each caller
Patients and families
One coordinator, clear explanations and a written quote before any commitment.
Insurers and assistance companies
Case handling with your case manager, guarantee of payment, medical reports and itemised invoices.
Choosing the transport
Air ambulance, stretcher on a scheduled flight or seat with a medical escort: how the choice is made.
Questions about the process
Who decides which type of transport is used?
The decision is medical. Our medical team makes it with the treating doctor, based on the patient’s condition and the care needed during the journey. For a scheduled flight, the airline’s medical service must also approve the transport.
Can a relative travel with the patient?
Often, yes, depending on the space on board and the patient’s condition. Tell us when you make your request so that we can include it in the quote.
What happens if the patient is not able to travel yet?
If the medical team considers that the transport would put the patient at risk, we tell you clearly and stay in contact with the treating team until the transport becomes possible.
Do you organise the ground ambulances?
Yes, the transfers between the hospitals and the airports are part of the organisation and appear in the quote [to be confirmed by the company: own vehicles or partner ambulance services].
Do I have to pay before the transport?
For private clients, our payment terms are [payment terms for private clients]. When an insurer or an assistance company covers the transport, we work on the basis of its guarantee of payment.
Ready to start?
Send us the essential information through the quote form, or call us if the situation is urgent.