A professional and calm team that helped immensely in the time of crisis for my father.
SITUATION:
We were looking for an air ambulance service to bring my father from Kolkata to our home city Bangalore. Couldn't fly commercial airlines because of some rules and circumstances and the only way to bring him back safely and quickly was through an air ambulance as he needed continuous oxygen support through the entire trip.
A friend recommended Dr.Shalini and ICATT as an option and said they're the best. I reached out to her and she connected me to her team immediately and remained a part of the discussion.
Air ambulance as a service is expensive and this was our first time using it - so had lengthy discussions with their team. A few highlights:
a. We wanted to exit Kolkata as soon as possible and come back to Bangalore. ICATT team was able to organize a flight the very next day after we had confirmed
b. A couple of my family and extended family members were involved in the discussions and the ICATT team arranged a group call and answered all the questions patiently
c. Mainly - we were also able to talk to the doctor who would be coming onboard the flight along with the patient. He also spoke to the doctor who was treating my father in the hospital. This reassured us.
Anurima from the ICATT team was our SPOC and coordinated on every step - from organizing calls to looking after payments to updates on every step. A big thanks to her.
ON THE DAY OF TRAVEL:
The doctor from ICATT - Dr.Sujendar came to the hospital in Kolkata a few hours before the flight and checked in on my father and what all medical equipment would be required. He spoke to the nurses and checked all the medical files to prepare for the flight. Polite and professional - my father also felt better after meeting him before the airlift.
The flight was delayed by an hour or so but that was mainly due to the weather and headwinds. Once the flight was ready - the ICATT team arranged an ambulance with oxygen from the hospital to Kolkata airport. They made arrangements for the ambulance to directly reach the flight on the tarmac and for an attender (me) to go through security quickly with an escort.
The plane though small - was comfortable for the patient and attender. We were worried that the plane being small, there would be a lot of turbulence. However, the main pilot was very skilled and experienced and we hardly felt anything. It was a smooth flight with a stop over at Vizag for re-fuelling. Food and water for everyone was arranged on the flight. Dr.Sujendar and paramedic Santanam hooked up oxygen cylinders and monitored my father's condition continuously through the flight and made sure he was okay.
Once we reached Bangalore airport, there was an ambulance with oxygen waiting at the tarmac where the plane landed. When we reached home also - Dr.Sujendar made sure that we had hooked my father up correctly to the oxygen concentrator and only then he left though it was quite late in the night.
All in all - a professional team and experience. At every step - Anurima was updating family members on the status of the patient, ambulance and flight. I would definitely recommend ICATT to anyone considering air ambulance as an option.
ONE SUGGESTION FOR THE ICATT TEAM:
The full amount is required by you before you book the service. Since it is a big amount - it is almost impossible to transfer from any normal bank account as all of them have limits on a new beneficiary added. We had to scramble to make it happen from multiple accounts of relatives. If you provide other options like Credit card payments or pay later options - that will be really helpful for families for patients especially in crunch situations like these.
Thanks to the entire ICATT team for bringing my father back to Bangalore safely.
INTERNATIONAL CRITICAL-CARE AIR TRANSFER TEAM से उत्तर दें
2024.04.14
Dear S M, we're so glad we could assist during such a crucial time. Your feedback inspires our team to continue providing the highest level of care. We appreciate your suggestion about payment options and will certainly consider it. Thank you!