As Costa Rica increasingly grows into a highly visited destination, the need for innovation in emergency medical services becomes more pressing. Air ambulance services have been around since World War I, but sophisticated and readily accessible aeromedical services have only recently become available in Costa Rica.

Over the last three years, Nature Air -a domestic airline that is probably best known in Costa Rica for their colorful aircraft fleet and the distinction of being the world’s first carbon-neutral airline- has been offering aeromedical services in acute and emergency life-saving situations. Thanks to a strategic partnership with Central America Life Flight, Nature Air flies patients in need of medical attention within Costa Rica, Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of North and South America.

The Costa Rica Star recently spoke with Don Ricardo Hernandez, Director of Operations at Central America Life Flight. He explained that his company is part of a Air Evac International, an aeromedical service provider based in San Diego, California. The company has three air bases: Southern California, Mexico and Costa Rica. Air Evac has its own Learjet fleet, and in Costa Rica it enjoys a partnership with Nature Air.

Having Nature Air as the medical flight provider is crucial for the operations of Air Evac and Central America Life Flight. Costa Rica’s rolling topography and remote rural areas call for the nimble aircraft and experienced Tico pilots of Nature Air.

According to Mr. Hernandez , Central America Life Flight transports patients not just within Costa Rica. Miami is a common international route, as well as Colombia and the Caribbean island nations. The company’s physicians, nurses and paramedics have all been specially trained in flight medicine, and in some cases they also accompany patients on commercial flights who may need supervision -such as patients receiving oxygen therapy or under treatment for seizures.

Not all medical flights are of a life-saving nature, but they all have a certain degree of urgency. Mr. Hernandez mentioned as an example a surgeon who might injured his hands while on vacation in Costa Rica, or a professional athlete whose team wants to ensure that he or she receive immediate care after an injury. To this extent, Central America Life Flight also coordinates helicopter flights.

With highly-trained personnel and advanced equipment, air ambulance providers these days offer bedside-to-bedside service, meaning that they take care of the ground transportation as well. Mr. Hernandez mentioned that virtually all flights are paid for by the patients’ insurance companies, so it is always a good idea to review medical insurance policies and ensure that they have the appropriate coverage for aeromedical services should the need arise.