Travel medical assistance: the backstage of a repatriation

A repatriation is being organised. The incident: French policyholder Xavier F. is on holiday in Palma de Mallorca. He badly injured his back after falling down the stairs in the rented holiday accommodation he was staying in. He calls us to let us know that an ambulance has taken him to the nearest hospital.
He is assessed by the Accident & Emergency staff waiting for his medical file to be transferred to the service where he would me moved to. AXA Partners’ medical team contacts the hospital to ask for the initial diagnosis. The doctor in charge requests further tests to assess the extent of the injury.

Our network team speaks with AXA Partners’ medical team about the capacity of the hospital where the patient is admitted to deal with his injuries. The hospital staff there confirmed the patient’s admission and treatment at the hospital, however the medical team first needs to check the treatment plan before proceeding forward.

AXA Partners’ medical team calls the patient to discuss the seriousness of his injury and the various treatment options available.

Based on the results of further C.T. scans, the hospital informs our team in Spain that they are considering surgery. Then, the medical team in Spain contacts our Acute Care Centre in Paris to request a second medical opinion.

The team speaks to one of our neurology specialists in France – a member of the AXA network – who confirms that an invasive procedure might not be necessary and suggests other alternatives.
The medical team speaks with the patient again about other options. He accepts to be transferred to the centre of medical excellence that we selected in France for his condition.

The team confers about the case with the doctor in the hospital who agrees with our recommendations. The patient is stable, so he is going to be prepared for his transfer by air ambulance. A corset had to be custom-made to ensure a safe transfer, so the departure is scheduled 24 hours later.
Xavier F. and his wife felt relieved to know that he will be repatriated as soon as possible.

During the 24-hour wait, our medical team is regularly in contact with Xavier F. to ensure that the patient remains stable.

Our Acute Care Centre in Paris receives and confirms the request for air ambulance repatriation. The patient’s admission to one of the leading spine surgery hospitals is also confirmed. 

The air ambulance takes off in France in the early hours and lands in Palma de Mallorca later that morning.

Our team picks the patient and his wife up from the hospital before flying to France. The patient is taken to the centre of medical excellence in Rennes (France).
The receiving hospital confirms the same day that the patient can be treated without invasive surgery.