When you are moving elderly parents out of state or any other injured or ill person, you will need to decide between air transportation and ground transportation. Air transporting can be very expensive, even with the cheapest, no frills services around. Cheap air ambulance is not advised for most non-emergency patients. Some patients are not able to travel by air due to the air pressure changes that occur. If you are not able to afford air transportation or your loved one or patient is not able to travel by air, due to their medical condition, there are long distance ground ambulances that offer superb services. If the patient is a non-emergency status, there are very comfortable ground ambulances that can make the trip very comfortable.
Avoid Cheap Ground Ambulance Services
If transporting an elderly or sick patient, cheap ground ambulance services may be a disastrous choice. Though they may be compassionate people, if you are doing it on the cheap, your loved one is going to suffer. There may only be 2 workers. The medical attendant and one driver. It you are traveling for long distances, one driver may not be able to make the trip straight through, without stopping to rest. This can potentially cause the patient to suffer, extending the time it takes reaching the destination, and maybe even require serious medical attention along the way. Getting the patient to the designation as quickly as possible is the best. It is important to hire an ambulance service with 2 drivers, plus a medical attendant. Cheap services also may not have the best vehicles for transporting an elderly or sick person. Bumps and movement along the journey may cause further health problems.
Vehicles and Equipment Used by the Service
Obviously when you are hiring a long distance medical transport service, you want the patient to be as comfortable as possible. High quality vehicles that run smoothly and are well maintained are critical. There may be rough roads along the way, and you want to make sure that your loved one is not jostled about and possibly injured along the way. You want a large vehicle that is equipped to meet the needs of your family member or patient. This will include basic medical aids, oxygen support, a portable toilet, radios for communication purposes, and a GPS system to guarantee that the trip stays on course. You should make sure the vehicle has the capacity to carry all necessary medical equipment and aids that may be needed along the route.
Top Rated Medical Transport Services
Among the top rated companies in the long distance ground ambulance industry is ACC Medlink. They offer a luxury long distance medical transportation service that is second-to-none. They are dedicated to delivering the patient and passengers in a gentle and caring way to their final destination.
ACC Medlink offers, long distance, comfortable, safe ambulance transportation by offering large, comfortable vehicles that are professionally staffed with medical crews and expert drivers. They provide services 24/7 in every city and state nationwide. They look are your family member as one of their own family members and treat them with care and compassion.
Key Benefits Offered by ACC Medlink Compared to Cheaper Services:
- They offer a nurse and two drivers – other services offer a nurse and one driver or may only offer two drivers.
- They offer bedside-to-bedside services – other services do not offer this.
- ACC offers mattresses with 8 inches of memory foam comfort, which allows the weight to be distributed evenly – other services usually offer a two-inch plastic mattress.
- Passengers ride in plush leather captain’s chair, with dual armrests – cheaper services do not offer this.
- They have three viscoelastic memory foam beds for family members to rest in during long transports – minivans offered by cheaper services are far too small to offer this.
- You will have flat screen HD-TV and Wi-Fi Internet – the other services only offer Wi-Fi Internet.
- ACC has a bedside commode – other services offer a bed pan.
- They are pet friendly – other services typically do not allow pets to ride along.
- Their vehicles have Mercedes Engineering for safety and reliability – mini vans will not offer this.
Other Things to Consider When Hiring a Long Distance Medical Transport Service
ACC Medlink has an A rating from the Better Business Bureau, so you can rest assured that you are getting a professional high quality service. The larger vehicles provide much more comfort than other vehicles and help the patient have a smooth and easy ride. The vehicles are large enough for the nurse to stand while caring for the patient’s needs.
While some companies will offer ground transportation ambulances at a lower price, it is critical to consider how this will affect the patient, both short term and long term. Hiring a high quality long distance ground ambulance will make the whole process a lot easier on everyone involved.
