The air ambulance industry, unlike the rest of the aviation sector, is doing much better amid the COIVD-19 pandemic, at least for now. Of course, the industry has had to make a few changes when it comes to operations. In fact, many of the players in the air ambulance industry are witnessing a resurgence in demand. This has meant that there have been no furloughs or layoffs. On the other hand, due to the high demand for healthcare professionals, the likelihood of a hike in wages has increased. In spite of all this, the availability of qualified professionals has been thin.
How has the Air Ambulance Industry Adapted to the New Norm?
In the air ambulance industry, it is not uncommon today to see companies forming COVID-19 advisory panel. The main intent behind this is to communicate the best practices both to crew members as well as potential clients. The move has increased the confidence of the patients to avail air ambulance services. When it comes to the crew members, ensuring that proper sanitization procedures are followed along with safety norms has been the prime objective of such panels. It cannot be denied that all these additional initiatives have increased the cost of the services, but they are being viewed as necessities during this unprecedented time.
Tackling the Increased Cost Burden
Some of the largest companies in the air ambulance industry are increasingly becoming a part of insurance networks. In fact, most of them have gone in-network in more than 50% of the locations that they serve. This means that people can now avail medical flight services without the worry of having to shell out the money themselves as balance payments. If the trend continues, the day will not be far when being within insurance networks becomes a common practice in the air ambulance industry. The development will surely encourage people to avail the services more freely.
