Advice re: Medical Evacuation Cape Verde

wondercollie

Medi-vacs are very expensive. Most airlines will accept patients deemed fit to travel if they travel first class and with a medical professional. So you would also incur the return ticket of the nurse.

Medi-vacs that involve the air ambulance are usually fast for the insurance company to arrange but beware, they call the shots.

Why would you think your Mum would be sent to Lisbon? The policy usually requires the return to the home hospital of the patient.

I used to work for my health services medical repatriation unit. There is far more involved than just getting your Mum home. The insurance company has to find a local doctor to accept your Mum. So whichever local hospital does major orthopedic surgery will have to be involved. And trust me, they don't like phone calls from family members trying to hurry things along. Also your legal documents are only used if your Mum is incapable of making decisions for herself, which if she is fit to travel, insurers may say she is competent.

IAmWales

Most airlines will accept patients deemed fit to travel if they travel first class and with a medical professional

Can I ask which airlines require the patient to travel in first? Those that require stretchers are usually accommodated in economy, as it requires a block of normal seats to be moved and it's far easier to move economy seats. For ambulant passengers first doesn't offer any clinical advantages that cannot be had in another cabin (aside comfort, but that's not a medical reason, and additional seats can be booked for comfort).

karcher

thefuzzbox wrote: »

RichardW / Westin - Thanks for your thoughts on involving other outlets/news etc. - I hadn't thought of the downsides in terms of cooperation, so I won't do that. I also realize there are 000's of people in far worse predicaments, so it's probably not newsworthy anyway.


Silvertabby - that had been my thoughts too, but I guess a local surgery, plus recuperation then fly back surely can't be that much cheaper. And, who knows why, but in the back of my mind I'm thinking maybe there is a sound medical reason.


I did get a brief email from the EAF team which suggests the MD route had suggested they might benefit from being a bit more communicative (albeit limited).


My father is now trying to speak to the insurer to get a decision.


Fundamentally, I want them to either state they'll fly her to UK/Lisbon/Gran Canaria and when, or to state their only offering is the other Cape Verde hospital. If the latter, then hey presto I can pull the trigger on a private evac, but I don't feel I can do that until I get them to make a decision.

So what happened OP?

richardw

Btw there’s also a commercial airliner stretcher http://www.airambulanceguides.com/guide-medical-flight-or-commercial-airline-stretcher/

Archergirl

Well I hope it's gone OK for the OP, I would be very wary of paying thousands for a med e vac. I know it's very difficult when a parent is in trouble far from home but common sense must prevail. Perhaps the local hospital is not as bad as they fear.

karcher

Archergirl wrote: »

Well I hope it's gone OK for the OP, I would be very wary of paying thousands for a med e vac. I know it's very difficult when a parent is in trouble far from home but common sense must prevail. Perhaps the local hospital is not as bad as they fear.

Indeed. I do hope the OP comes back to update.

mgdavid

Archergirl wrote: »

Well I hope it's gone OK for the OP, I would be very wary of paying thousands for a med e vac. I know it's very difficult when a parent is in trouble far from home but common sense must prevail. Perhaps the local hospital is not as bad as they fear.

Yes, common sense my well suggest that a medevac to UK is the best option.
Pal of mine was motor racing at Spa in Belgium a couple of months ago and had a nasty accident, plenty of broken bones although no internal injuries other than bruising. Family medevacced him home, cost several thousand pounds but was deemed best option. Not just on pure medical grounds but visiting and care convenience, morale etc etc.
I certainly wouldn't leave a relative to the lottery of 'Perhaps the local hospital is not as bad as they fear' - in Cape Verde.

thefuzzbox

Hi.,

Sorry for no update. Its been a ruddy dreadful week, but with a positive outcome.

She is being flown back to the UK by air ambulance tomorrow (Monday) - and will be having a hip replacement once returned. The insurers are footing the bill.

I think the biggest breakthrough came about through the intervention of the insurer MD so whoever suggested that, I thank you.

I will post a further update later in the week, once she's back.

Regards

Westin

Thanks for returning to update the thread.

So glad all has worked out and to hear that your mum will be returning tomorrow with full medical care in place.

Thank goodness for travel insurance. For those who sometimes ask if it's necessary and won't their EHIC card suffice - here is a great example why it is so important to have private travel insurance in place when going on holiday or overseas.

richardw

Great to hear she's being flown home and she's well enough to fly a long way.