Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service (Air Medical)

Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service offers a licensed airplane for air ambulance transport. It is flown by professional pilots and staffed by highly trained paramedics, nurses, respiratory therapists, pediatric and neonatal specialists, perfusionists and physicians. The team cares for people with complex health conditions during transfers from hospital to hospital.

The air ambulance airplane is a Beechcraft King Air 350C. It has twin turboprop engines and a cruising speed of 310 knots, or 357 mph. It seats one patient plus the medical team, with extra seats as the patient's condition requires. Two pilots fly every flight, and all of them are full time emergency medical services pilots with Airline Transport Pilot certification.

The airplane flies the patient care team throughout the United States and parts of Canada. The air carrier certificate is approved for transports into and out of Canada. The airplane is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and it can bring patients to Mayo Clinic, to other healthcare facilities or home after care.

Mayo Clinic staffs all of its air ambulances with medical professionals who have extensive experience treating adults and children. Specialists, nurses, paramedics and respiratory therapists are selected based on the needs of each patient.

Flights are coordinated by the Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service emergency communications team. Communications specialists answer questions and help arrange all parts of the travel, including appointments. Certified medical dispatchers can help identify a receiving doctor.

Health insurance and HMO plans often do not cover air ambulance service that is not medically necessary, or that is chosen by patient preference. Dispatchers give a cost estimate when you call. In those cases, full payment is often required at the time of service.

Mayo Clinic's air ambulances are accredited by CAMTS, and the program is also accredited by the International Standard for Business Aviation Operations, known as IS-BAO. The Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service also offers ground ambulance, emergency communications, education and training, and research.

Services

• Air ambulance airplane
• Ground ambulance
• Emergency communications
• Education and training
• Research
• Hospital-to-hospital transfers
• Transports into Canada
• Pilot-staffed flights
• Air ambulance billing help
• Medical dispatch