Challenge:

BlueDot was entrusted to safely transport an elderly gentleman with lung fibrosis and respiratory failure, and who is on multiple life support, including ventilator and ECMO, from Tel Aviv, Israel, to Bangkok, Thailand.

The complexity of the patient’s case, and the 7000 km flight route meant that a high level of planning and coordination between the treating, transit, and receiving teams was critical to ensure the safe and successful transfer of the patient.

Here’s how BlueDot carried out this mission:

Pre-flight planning and international coordination

The BlueDot team had multiple in-depth discussions with both the medical teams involved - the treating team in Tel Aviv and the receiving team in Bangkok - to ensure a safe, coordinated and effective plan was put in place.

Transfer from the hospital to the air ambulance

After determining the safest approach for the transfer, the BlueDot team went to the treating hospital in Tel Aviv a day before the air ambulance transfer. We introduced ourselves to the patient and his family and took the time to get to know them.

Then, after an evaluation of the patient’s condition was conducted, and having received the patient’s consent, we transferred him to a ventilator, with two ECMO machines in place (one machine was set aside for backup just in case there was any mechanical failure with the primary machine). Team BlueDot made sure the patient was stable throughout the whole night on the equipment before transferring him out of the hospital the next morning and onto the air ambulance.

Medical care and support for the flight

Our flight team, put together to meet the patient’s specific care and treatment needs, consisted of 7 highly trained and experienced medical professionals: an intensivist, a flight physician, a flight paramedic, and two perfusionists (ECMO specialists).

Taking into consideration the duration of the flight and the maximum oxygen requirement for the ECMO and the ventilator, BlueDot arranged for approximately 20,000 litres of oxygen to be on the air ambulance.

During the journey, the patient was carefully monitored in an advanced critical care environment, with the flight team taking all necessary steps to keep his vitals stable throughout.

Arrival at the hospital in Bangkok

After a challenging 12-hour journey, the BlueDot team landed in Bangkok and stayed with the patient as he was taken to the destination hospital. Upon arrival, he was transferred to the ECMO machine, with a stable set of vitals.