Under seemingly impossible COVID-19 global travel restrictions, MedEscort International provides hospitals and insurance providers with uninterrupted, highly-specialized logistical assets that facilitate the discharge and repatriation of unfunded and undocumented patients.
MedEscort International is a diverse company offering unique medical transportation services domestically and internationally. As Aetna Insurance’s National network provider, MedEscort International continues to work through the complex COVID-19 pandemic, offering hospitals needed logistical assets to quickly and safely discharge patients and offer repatriation travel support services. This is in addition to serving organ transplant teams and the organ transplant community through their National Transplant Flight Group (NTFG).
COVID-19 has proved itself as a true contender for a world-class pandemic, by limiting resources as well as introducing new techniques for MedEscort International and National Transplant Flight Group. MedEscort was among the first companies to transport a COVID-19 positive American citizen home from Peru for medical care in March 2020. MedEscort followed all CDC guidelines for medical safety, utilized an isolation pod, and called on its vast global resources to successfully repatriate the patient. The patient was on vacation in Peru when the pandemic started and later became ill and was hospitalized with a diagnosis of COVID-19.
MedEscort was contacted by the insurance company to collaborate with Peruvian and US governments to safely navigate a complex medical transportation process for the American patient, during a global travel lockdown with limited resources.
The patient’s transportation plan was faced with many unique challenges in the Cusco region of Peru. Local authorities were extremely reluctant and fearful of transmitting COVID-19 from patients traveling across borders. MedEscort worked closely with both the Peruvian and US governments along with the Peruvian Health Ministry to navigate the process with guidance from the CDC and the Health Ministry. MedEscort has successfully provided the Peruvian Healthcare Ministry in the past with resources to return patients home and has a great working relationship for future cases as well.
MedEscort International, using its global resources secured an air ambulance with an isolation pod to transport the patient to the United States. The medical isolation pod had a dedicated, circulated air supply as not to contaminate the air in the aircraft putting the medical team and flight crew at risk of contracting COVID-19. The medical team consisted of a physician and a paramedic who were able to monitor the patient’s vital signs through the isolation pod. As added protection, following CDC guidelines, the medical transport team also wore PPE for the duration of the flight.
Even though the resources to transport the patient were secure and the countries' governments were aligned to transport the patient, there were still multiple challenges to confront. In Peru, the complexity of the situation called for creative thinking and alternate procedures to get the patient home. Both governments collaborated and worked together to release the patient to the care of MedEscort to return home safely and securely.
After arrival in the United States, the aircraft was quarantined and sanitized according to CDC guidelines and industry standards. The patient was admitted to a COVID unit in his hometown hospital and made a full recovery. MedEscort then logistically supported the safe return of staff and crew and reunited the family in the US. After the flight, the team was tested for COVID-19 and all staff and crew onboard tested negative for the virus. It was a successfully executed repatriated flight that created no cross-contamination or spread of the virus domestically or internationally. The process was then directed to Canada to repatriate a patient to his home in Guyana. Although he was not a COVID-19 patient, we still followed CDC guidelines and the guidelines of the Guyana Health Ministry to safely and successfully repatriate the patient. MedEscort consistently provides hospitals and patients the resources needed for successful repatriation, regardless of the situation. Pandemic or not, MedEscort is committed to being a resource and solution for the hospital and healthcare communities.
MedEscort has successfully repatriated over 6,000 patients to more than 100 countries and continues to work through the transportation and logistics challenges of COVID-19. Navigating the challenges of COVID-19 has helped MedEscort find new and resourceful ways to get patients home safely, securely, and ethically. Each patient has a unique story that requires a unique process to repatriate following AMA guidelines for safe, complex discharges.
There are normal obstacles and challenges, but new challenges have emerged due to COVID-19. Challenges like current events, flight restrictions, airport closures, travel bans, governmental closures, hospital restrictions, fear, and limited resources have created an environment for MedEscort to rise to the challenge and fulfill the needs of the hospitals, patients, and families.
MedEscort works collaboratively with hospitals, social workers and case managers to help repatriate patients and reunite families as well as promote recovery and provide ongoing care. Not only does MedEscort International’s expertise help the patients but it also provides support to the hospitals to minimize their financial losses.
The National Transplant Flight Group (NTFG) supports transplant teams and the transplant community. NTFG has been met with the same number of challenges from COVID-19. Enhanced guidelines due to the pandemic have increased sanitization practices. All transport vehicles and aircraft are sanitized according to industry standards and CDC guidelines before and after each use and social distancing is practiced for the safety of public health. Challenges like travel bans and increased safety measures create delays in supporting our transplant teams. Delays like these are costly to the success of a transplant procedure so NTFG takes all of the necessary precautions and planning logistics to minimize these delays.
MedEscort International is cognizant of ever-changing current events and guidelines. Our flexibility and adaptability have allowed us to not just fly patients but also become a guide and resource to hospitals, case managers, and social workers during the most uncertain of times.
If you would like to find out more about MedEscort International or speak directly to one of our medical directors for consult and navigation call 1-800-255-7182.
Written by: Julie Huber
Edited by: Craig Poliner
MedEscort International Inc.
Allentown, PA
June 5, 2020