on Monday announced a structured patient transfer initiative aimed at improving access to advanced critical care through coordinated air medical transportation across India and international regions.
Over the past few months, Apollo Hospitals has entered into MoUs with multiple national and international air ambulance service providers to streamline and strengthen patient transfers for those requiring urgent medical attention, the healthcare major said. The initiative will be coordinated through Apollo’s 1066 Emergency Response Network.
Air ambulance partnerships
In the first phase, Apollo Hospitals has tied up with multiple air ambulance service providers for domestic and international transfers, including Bluedot Charters and Air Ambulance Services, UAE, AeroMed International Rescue Services Pvt Ltd, Jhankar Aviation Pvt Ltd, iCATT Health Solutions Pvt Ltd, Air Rescuers World Wide Pvt Ltd, Vedant Air Rescue Pvt Ltd, AeroCare Air Ambulance Service, Ayusewa Air & Train Ambulance, Air Medical 24X7 Pvt Ltd and Flaps Aviation Private Ltd.
By formalising these partnerships, Apollo Hospitals seeks to address longstanding gaps in emergency medical transport, where transfers from remote locations are often fragmented, costly and reliant on informal intermediaries, while making these services more accessible to patients and families who may need them, the company said.
Dr Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals, said, ”Through our partnerships with specialised air ambulance providers, we are making it easier for patients and families to access advanced care across cities and across borders, in a more coordinated and transparent manner. By integrating our 1066 response network, the patient benefits from clinical coordination and hospital preparedness, creating a connected pathway that helps patients access the care they need, when they need it most.”
Support in transit
Dr Dhavapalani Alagappan, Clinical Director, Emergency Departments, Apollo Hospitals said, “Air ambulances are equipped with life-support systems, ventilators, defibrillators, and other advanced medical equipment, enabling critically ill patients to receive intensive-care-level support even while in transit. Throughout the journey, patients will be continuously monitored by a trained medical team and certified doctors who can administer medications and provide necessary interventions to keep them stable and comfortable. It is imperative that the level of medical care provided in the critical care units is continued during transfers and we are able to achieve that”.
With this launch, Apollo Hospitals is further deepening its focus on integrated emergency mobility and patient access, creating a more organised framework for urgent inter-city and cross-border medical transfers at a time when speed for advanced care is increasingly critical.