Hospital stays for international patients can quickly become costly, especially if they are uninsured or undocumented. Far from home and in potentially unfamiliar surroundings, these patients may be too ill to arrange their own transportation home. For hospitals and case managers, SentinelMED offers an international patient repatriation tool that can help calculate the costs of safe and comfortable medical transport. Patients and their family members can also work with treating physicians to use the tool to request a quote for services.
What is international patient repatriation?
International patient repatriation is a process to help patients who are undocumented or uninsured return to their country of citizenship for ongoing care. At SentinelMED, we work with hospitals, case managers, and patients to manage the logistics of patient transport. Our team will
- Consult with treating physicians to determine when the patient is stable for transport to their home country
- Confirm that travel documents are in order and up-to-date, or request documents from foreign consulates
- Recommend a receiving medical facility in the patient's home country that can provide the appropriate level of medical care
- Determine the most appropriate mode of medical transport and, if necessary, arrange for a medical escort to provide care for the patient during travel
- Ensure that the receiving medical team or family are aware of the patient's medical needs and able to provide necessary care
- Work with ground ambulance companies and domestic and international airlines to schedule transport and travel
- Coordinate with our specialized partner travel agency to issue tickets for the patient and medical escort, including obtaining all medical clearances and special boarding accommodations
- Obtain any medical devices and prescriptions that the patient needs for long-distance travel
- Provide pre-trip cost estimates and post-transport invoicing
International Patient Repatriation Services from SentinelMED
In most cases, SentinelMED works with domestic and international airlines to transport international patients.Commercial airline transport can be faster, more comfortable, and more cost-effective than air ambulance transport. Since international patient repatriation is typically used in non-emergency situations, there is usually time to coordinate all the details with the airlines days ahead of travel.
Depending on the patient’s condition, SentinelMED may arrange for a medical escort to accompany the patient and provide care, as well as manage the complexities of international travel. Our medical escorts are physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses. They are experienced or trained in emergency and travel medicine and are paired with patients based on their medical needs, native language, and any cultural concerns.
Additionally, many of our medical professionals are bilingual, speaking languages such as English, Spanish, French, and German. Oftentimes, they can communicate directly with medical professionals in their preferred language and without relying on the availability of medical translators.
Benefits of Using SentinelMED's International Patient Repatriation Tool
Our International Patient Repatriation Tool was designed with input from our medical providers who have decades of experience in aero-medicine and international medical transport. The tool prompts users to provide detailed information about the patient's medical condition, including vital statistics and medical history, to inform a preliminary transport plan and estimate the associated costs.
More About More About SentinelMED
SentinelMED offers medical escort, evacuation, and repatriation services for patients requiring assistance with long-distance travel. Members of our team have successfully transported hundreds of patients across the globe to their countries of citizenship, ensuring their safety and comfort.
At SentinelMED, we understand the complexity of delivering exceptional care to domestic medical travelers. Please contact us if you’d like to learn more about our services and staff.
