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Accident on holiday: when is a medical repatriation necessary?

If your holiday is interrupted by an accident, medical repatriation may be neccessary. Our examples can help you make this important decision.

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Accident on holiday: when is a medical repatriation necessary?

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Before going away on holiday, have you ever thought about what could happen if you were unable to get home under your own steam after an accident? It is understandable that many people set out on their travels optimistically and don't envisage such eventualities.

However, accidents always happen unexpectedly. It is, therefore, all the more important to be prepared and to know what to expect in an emergency. Below, you can read about some cases that Medical Repatriation UK has dealt with in the past.

Unfall im Urlaub: Wenn ein Rücktransport aus dem Ausland nötig wird

Example 1: medical repatriation from abroad in the sixth month of pregnancy

A few weeks ago, we were able to help a young family who had been on holiday in Greece. The couple had their five-year-old daughter with them, and the mother was six months pregnant with their second child. On the fourth day of their holiday, she experienced first weak, then stronger contractions, and went to the local hospital for initial treatment.

There, communication with the doctors attending her turned out to be difficult. Also, the hospital was not specialised in prenatal diagnostics. The young family then decided to fly home as soon as possible for further treatment in a specialist hospital. Therefore, the young father instructed us to undertake immediate medical repatriation from Greece.

On the very same day, we deployed an air ambulance in which the pregnant woman was transported lying down. Her husband and daughter were allowed to accompany her on the flight home. Upon landing, the mother was taken to the specialist hospital and was soon out of danger.

This example shows how important it is to take swift action in such cases. Our ambulance aircraft fly to destinations all over the world. The equipment aboard the aircraft is similar to that of a modern intensive care unit and it is individually adapted to the patient's medical condition. Every flight is also accompanied by qualified medical personnel.

When is medical repatriation from abroad necessary?

Medical repatriation is always necessary if adequate medical care can no longer be guaranteed at the hospital or clinic abroad. But even if appropriate treatment is possible, many patients prefer to be at home and close to family and friends. This is particularly true when a longer hospital stay is probable. Language barriers when dealing with hospital staff abroad and lower standards in some foreign hospitals often lead to patients asking us to organise their medical repatriation from abroad.

Example 2: repatriation from abroad following broken ribs

In another case, we were recently able to help a young woman who had sustained several broken ribs in a swimming pool accident while on holiday in Turkey. She had an operation in a hospital in Istanbul and was told that she would need to stay in the hospital for at least another four weeks.

However, the patient desperately wanted to be close to her husband and children and tasked us with her medical repatriation from Turkey. Our repatriation service brought her back home in a scheduled airliner, lying on a special stretcher. An emergency vehicle was already waiting at the airport and drove her to her local hospital.

Medical Repatriation UK is asked to undertake medical repatriations from abroad whenever you wish to have further treatment in a hospital in your home country, either for medical or private reasons.

How soon can an air ambulance be ready to fly?

We organise medical repatriations by ambulance aircraft or scheduled airliner according to urgency. If we are dealing with a time-critical emergency, an air ambulance is often ready to fly within a few hours. Please contact us, so we can take care of your repatriation from abroad quickly and straightforwardly.

How much does medical repatriation cost?

The cost of medical repatriation always depends on the flight route, the number of accompanying persons and your health condition. We will gladly provide you with a non-binding and clear quotation for your medical repatriation from abroad.

Any further questions?

We have put together detailed information on the medical repatriation process for you in our FAQ.

Contact us now about your medical repatriation

Our experienced team is at your disposal around the clock and will answer all your questions free of charge. Upon request, we can provide a non-binding cost estimate for your medical repatriation. Please contact our 24-hour service:

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