Air ambulance and medical transfers
Air ambulance and medical transfers, coordinated from bed to bed.
When a patient needs to move between hospitals, cities or countries, the flight is one part of a longer chain: clinical clearance, the receiving hospital's acceptance, ground ambulances at both ends, airport formalities, documents and the family's own travel. Carehorizon Health coordinates the whole chain.
If the patient is not in a hospital and needs emergency care now, call 112 or your local emergency number.
Transfers we coordinate
The right kind of transfer for the patient's condition.
Ground ambulances to and from the airport, timed to the flight, are arranged as part of every transfer.
Within India Domestic air ambulance Transfers between Indian cities, usually hospital to hospital, when a patient needs specialist care elsewhere or wants to continue treatment closer to home. Domestic transfers 
To and from India International air ambulance and repatriation Bringing a patient home to India from abroad, or moving a patient from India to another country on a dedicated medical flight. International transfers 
Scheduled flights Medical escort on a commercial flight A doctor, nurse or paramedic alongside on a scheduled airline, subject to the airline's medical clearance. Airline medical escort Who is responsible for what
| Step | Responsible |
|---|---|
| Deciding whether the patient is fit to travel, and how | Treating doctor at the sending hospital, with the transfer medical team |
| Accepting the patient | Receiving hospital and its admitting doctor |
| Flying the aircraft | Licensed aviation operator and its flight crew |
| Medical care during the flight | The transfer medical team on board |
| Coordinating the transfer end to end | Carehorizon Health: hospitals, documents, ground ambulances, airport, family travel and communication |
In the air
The medical team follows the plan the doctors agreed.
The transfer medical team on board works to the clinical plan agreed between the sending and receiving doctors. Aircraft are flown by licensed aviation operators under their own approvals. We coordinate everything around the flight and keep the family informed at each stage.
How a transfer is arranged
- First call. A coordinator takes the essentials: where the patient is, where they need to go, the current condition as described by the treating team, and who makes decisions for the family.
- Clinical information. With your consent, we obtain a current medical summary from the treating hospital for the transfer medical team to review.
- Options and costs in writing. We explain the transfer options the clinicians consider appropriate, with confirmed costs and any estimates shown separately.
- Confirmation. Once you approve, we confirm the receiving bed, the aircraft, ground ambulances, airport arrangements and the family's travel, and send you the written transfer plan.
- Transfer day. Your coordinator keeps the family informed at agreed points: departure from the ward, take-off, landing, arrival at the receiving hospital.
- Handover. The receiving team takes over clinical care. We confirm the handover documents are complete and stay available to the family for the next steps.
What we will need
- Patient's name, age and current location (hospital and city)
- Destination hospital, if already chosen, or the city where care is needed
- A recent medical summary from the treating doctor (we can request it with your consent)
- Passport and visa details for international transfers
- Name and contact details of the family decision-maker
Knowledge library
Guides for families
Air ambulance How an air ambulance transfer works, from bed to bed
What actually happens between the sending hospital bed and the receiving hospital bed, who is responsible for each step, and what the family needs to do.
Read the guide Air ambulance Fitness to fly, and what doctors assess before a patient travels
Who decides whether a patient is fit to fly, what they look at, why the cabin environment matters, and what families can do while the decision is made.
Read the guide
Air ambulance Does insurance cover air ambulance and medical repatriation?
How travel and health insurance policies typically treat air ambulance and repatriation costs, what insurers ask for, and how to avoid delays.
Read the guide Air ambulance Documents needed for a hospital-to-hospital transfer
A practical checklist of the medical, identity and consent documents usually needed for a domestic or international patient transfer, and who provides each one.
Read the guide Air ambulance Air ambulance or a commercial flight with a medical escort?
How doctors decide between a dedicated air ambulance and a scheduled airline flight with a doctor or nurse alongside, and what each option involves.
Read the guide Air ambulance What families should know on transfer day
What happens on the day a patient is moved between hospitals, when the family will hear from the coordinator, and how to prepare.
Read the guideQuestions families ask
How quickly can a transfer happen?
That depends on the patient's clinical clearance, the receiving hospital's acceptance, aircraft availability and, for international transfers, permits and documents. We give you a realistic timeline after the first call and update it as each item is confirmed. We do not promise departure times we cannot control.
Who flies the aircraft?
Aircraft are flown by licensed aviation operators under their own approvals. Carehorizon Health coordinates the transfer and is accountable to you for that coordination.
Who decides whether air transfer is safe?
The treating doctors, together with the transfer medical team. If they advise against flying, or recommend a different way to move the patient, we explain the alternatives.
Is a commercial flight with a medical escort possible instead?
Sometimes. It depends on the patient's condition and the airline's medical clearance. We will tell you honestly whether it is a realistic option.
What does it cost?
Costs depend on distance, aircraft, medical team and ground arrangements. We send a written quotation for your specific case, with confirmed items and estimates shown separately, before you commit.
Will insurance cover it?
Some policies cover medical evacuation or repatriation. We can work directly with your insurer or assistance company once you share the policy details, but cover is always decided by the insurer.
Coordination desk · 24 hours a day
Speak to the coordination desk.
If a patient needs to move between hospitals, call us. Have the hospital name and, if possible, the treating doctor's contact to hand.
In a medical emergency, call 112 in India or your local emergency number first.