Most people think that the work of medical air ambulance services begins with the aircraft.
A jet, a helicopter, the need to get somewhere quickly. That is the picture that most people have in mind when they think about medical air ambulance services. The truth is that the most important part of the process is almost always far earlier than that. The most important part is the time when the first telephone call is made.
That first call is rarely easy. Emotions run high. Information is limited. Medical information is still being gathered. Everyone is under time pressure, even if they are not yet clear about the course of action needed. In those moments, the conversation is not about airplanes. The conversation is about helping people understand the need to slow down and understand the reality of the situation. That is what Medical Air Service is all about.
What the call from the family is about
Families do not call medical air ambulance services and ask if they have a jet or a helicopter available. They call because they do not know what to do next.
They need to understand what is possible, what is realistic, and what must be done before they can even think about making decisions. They need to slow down and face the reality of the situation. They need to understand that they need someone to talk to who is calm and not making promises they cannot keep.
This is why the first call is the most important, not the aircraft itself.
Before any transportation solution is discussed, there are questions to be answered, permissions to be considered, and risks to be evaluated. In some cases, the safest response isn’t “yes, we can start the transportation right away.” In some cases, the safest response is “we need to know more first.” Saying this, and saying this as early as possible, is the key to avoiding problems down the line.
Guidance before action
There is a natural instinct to discuss the work of medical air ambulance services as a speed-based, mobilization-based activity. In reality, however, the process is much more a function of judgment.
The coordination teams are not there to diagnose the patient’s condition, nor to reassure the patient’s family with optimistic language. They are there to discuss the process as it is, to be honest about what we know and what we don’t yet know. To discuss the available options without leading families down a path to a specific solution.
This is not easy. It requires confidence, as well as restraint. It is sometimes harder to slow down the process than to speed it up, especially when families are at their most emotional. It is not helpful to speed up the process without a clear picture of the situation to begin with.
Honesty is the key to this. It is not unhelpful to say, “we don’t yet know” or “we cannot yet advise transportation.” Openness and certainty build trust throughout the conversation.
How independence changes the conversation
Companies like Medical Air Service are not tied to any particular platform, therefore the process doesn’t start with the solution and work backwards. We start with the patient, the situation, and work our way out from there. Sometimes that means a long-range air ambulance flight, sometimes a helicopter transfer, sometimes ground transportation, or sometimes waiting until further assessment is complete.
Most of the time, the simple solution is the right one.
This is what shapes how we talk to families from the very first phone call. It’s not about getting a plane filled or achieving a timeline. It’s about recommending a solution that makes sense medically and practically, even if it’s not what the family was expecting.
The people who answer the phone matter
It’s worth noting that none of this works without the right people.
It’s not easy to recruit medical air ambulance coordinators. It’s not about finding people who can read a script. It’s about finding people who can think on their feet, listen effectively, and communicate without adding to the stress of the situation.
Emotional intelligence is not a buzzword here. It’s a necessity. We need people who can understand emotional distress without becoming overwhelmed by it. We need people who can communicate effectively without being blunt. We need people who can be empathetic without being intrusive. We need people who know how much to explain and how much to keep to themselves.
It’s not easy to recruit people who can do this job. It’s not simple to explain what this job entails. It’s not easy to describe how important emotional intelligence is nor to explain how important judgment and temperament are. But they are. The first phone call is a family’s first experience with a system they don’t understand. It’s how they feel during this process that will stay with them.
Moreover, medical emergencies don’t occur during business hours. Being available to take a call, return a call, or stay on the line longer than originally anticipated is not an extra; it is part of the responsibility. Things change, new information is received, decisions must be re-evaluated, and so on.
Continuity is an important factor. People want to talk to someone who understands their situation and has been paying attention. Giving the same information to several people only adds to overall stress.
Support without promises
In essence, this industry is not about making promises. There are some situations in which transport is not an option. There are some situations in which moving the patient too early will increase risk, not reduce it. These are not easy conversations to have, especially for families who are desperate for something to be done. However, not having these conversations does no one any good.
These conversations need to be had during the first call, and that is not always easy. Nevertheless, it is necessary for the overall process, so that families can understand what is happening and why certain decisions are being made.
That first call is not simply the beginning of the process. It is where trust is established and help truly begins.
About Medical Air Service
Medical Air Service provides worldwide medical evacuation and medical repatriation services, transporting patients who cannot be treated where they are and transferring them to the required destinations on board fast and medical jets or with medical escorts on commercial flights.
