If you have brides- or grooms-to-be among your family or friends, there’s a good chance you’ll be invited to a destination wedding. About 25 percent of couples – and many millennials – are choosing to get married at a location other than their hometown. Of course, destination weddings often require long-distance travel, which can be an obstacle for individuals with health or mobility concerns. Medical escorts for destination weddings can help ensure everyone can attend the event by making travel as safe and comfortable as possible.
What is a medical escort?
Medical escorts accompany individuals who require additional support and assistance to travel long distances. At SentinelMED, our medical escorts are physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses who are trained or experienced in emergency and travel medicine.
As part of our medical escort services, our team coordinates all travel logistics, including ground and air transportation. They take into consideration any medical or health conditions the traveler has and consult with SentinelMED’s medical professionals as needed.
Who can benefit from using medical escorts for destination weddings?
Medical escorts can make it possible for some people to travel to destination weddings if they have health concerns or otherwise would be traveling alone, whether they're members of the wedding party or guests. Here are a few examples of how a medical escort can help travelers, including:
Grandparents and other older adults. A medical escort can make it possible for senior citizens to travel long distances comfortably by assisting them throughout every stage of the travel process. They can also ensure any medication or food needs are met, assist with leg stretches to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and advocate for the individual during travel.
People with chronic medical conditions. Knowing that medical help will be available if needed, and that a trained medical professional will be by their side throughout the travel process, can offer peace of mind for people who have chronic medical conditions such as
Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes can be negatively affected by the stress of travel.
Individuals who are recovering from a serious illness. People who are undergoing cancer treatment or have recently had surgery are at greater risk for DVT and other conditions associated with long-distance travel. SentinelMED will secure any necessary medical clearances for the patient to travel, acquire supplemental oxygen devices, and advocate for alternative security screening methods, if needed.
People who have a mental illness or memory issues. Medical escorts can provide reassurance and a sense of familiarity during all aspects of travel, including security screening and while in flight. They’ll carry travel documents for travelers, manage any changes or disruptions in travel plans, and ensure the traveler’s safety until they are met by a family member at the destination.
Medical Escort Services from SentinelMED, an Air Medical Transport Service
In addition to arranging medical escort services, SentinelMED offers medical repatriation and evacuation services for individuals with more serious, immediate, or complex medical needs. Medical transports are often scheduled on commercial airlines with a medical escort accompanying the patient – a cost-effective alternative to air ambulance services. Members of the SentinelMED team have strong working relationships with major airlines and can help facilitate special requests for travelers who are medically compromised.
SentinelMED understands the complexity of delivering exceptional care to patients who need assistance during travel. Please contact us to learn more about the services that SentinelMED offers or its staff.
