How to Choose the Best Air Ambulance in Canada

Choosing the best air ambulance in Canada can be a challenging task—but an obviously important one. In the event of a medical emergency, or when it comes time to move your loved one over a long distance, you want to make sure you or your family are in the safest and most reliable hands possible. But how do you know which air ambulance company provides great quality care and service? We’ve put together some useful guidelines below to help you find the best air ambulance Canada!

Look for proper accreditation

One of the first things to look for in any air ambulance in Canada is proper accreditation. Medical transport operators that are accredited by recognized agencies like European Aeromedical Institute (EURAMI) or the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS). Accreditation means that the air ambulance company has undergone a series of rigorous examinations and reviews, including on site audits by independent physicians.

With an accredited air ambulance provider, you can rest assured knowing you are going with a reputable company that’s met the highest safety, medical and quality standards in the world.

The global insurance industry recognizes EURAMI and CAMTS accreditation for those companies, like , that work for reputable insurance companies everyday. Without accreditation, the company has chosen not to subject themselves to audit.

Ask about staff located in Canada

When you’re selecting an air ambulance in Canada, find out about the types of medical staff onboard. A quality company will have skilled personnel who are fully-trained in a wide range of procedures, including transport medicine, life flight medevac operations, out of hospital medical care, medical escorts, and worldwide medical logistics. It’s not just a nurse on a plane. It’s a highly skilled team of pilots, nurses and paramedics who do this job everyday.

Don’t forget to ask about the office staff too. The right air ambulance business will be able to provide accurate price quotes, arrange travel schedules, and deal with insurance companies, helping to make the entire process run a lot smoother. They will also have a fulltime, dedicated dispatch centre.

Find out about the fleet

An air ambulance provider can’t be an effective one without the appropriate fleet of aircraft. Find out what types of aircraft they use, as well as the other airlines they partner with. Plus, the aircraft should only be used for air ambulance missions, fully supplied with a host of cutting-edge medical equipment, capable of handling a wide range of medical emergencies and weather conditions.

Inquire about wait times

In emergency situations, time is of the essence. That is why the air ambulance company you choose needs to able to respond to medical crises, fast. The right provider is there for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, offering quick worldwide air ambulance repatriation, emergency airlift, and medevac response times. So, don’t forget to inquire about wait times.

Watch out for brokers!

The internet is full of great websites, wholesome promises, and fancy pictures. But are you dealing directly with the company you are paying, or are they brokering the trip? Lifesupport is a direct provider. When you work with us, you are working with the real deal! We do not contract out our services or ask others to do the job for us while only taking your payment. When you work with Lifesupport, it will be our Flight Nurses that walk through the door and see you and your loved one through from pillow to pillow.

Choosing the right air ambulance in Canada can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. With a little research and the right questions, you’ll be prepared in the event of an emergency.

Lifesupport Air Medical Services is an internationally Gold Standard accredited company. Our highly trained team of professionals provide timely and cost-effective international air ambulance services—everything you need to ensure you and your loved ones are taken care of when air transportation is needed. Learn about our transport medical services like air ambulance, air medical escort, hospital transfers, and ground ambulance services to bring Canadians back home.

For an air ambulance in Canada, contact us today!