Bringing patients home from anywhere in the world
Medical repatriation is the process of bringing a patient who has fallen ill or been injured abroad back to their home country, or to a country where they can receive ongoing care. CME plans and executes the whole journey, from the hospital bedside abroad to the receiving facility or home.
At a glance
- Reach
- Worldwide, anywhere commercial airlines fly
- Since
- 2006
- Accreditation
- CAMTS · EURAMI (first dual-accredited, 2019)
- Industry
- USTIA & THIA member since 2010
- Handoff
- Bedside to bedside
- Intake
- 24/7 case intake & coordination
What a repatriation involves
A repatriation is rarely just a flight. It starts with a clinical assessment of fitness to fly and a conversation with the treating team abroad. From there we build the route, clear the patient with the airline, arrange oxygen and equipment, book the flights and ground transfers, and confirm the admission at the other end, so that when the escort arrives at the bedside, everything downstream is already in place.
Coordinated end to end
- Clinical assessment of fitness to fly, with an honest recommendation on escort, stretcher, or air ambulance
- Airline medical clearance (MEDIF), oxygen approval, and seating
- Visa assistance for international travel
- Flights on every leg and every carrier, booked by Fly CME, our IATA-accredited agency
- Ambulance, wheelchair, or stretcher-van transfers at origin and destination
- Home oxygen concentrators sourced and supplied for the destination
- Hospital, rehab, or nursing-home admission arranged before arrival
- One coordinator and clear reporting from intake to delivery
Across borders, languages, and time zones
Our coordinators work cases across borders, languages, and time zones, dealing with hospitals, airlines, embassies and consulates, and insurers in different countries while the family or case manager deals only with us. When something changes on the ground, such as a delayed discharge or a facility that is difficult to work with, the escort on site and the coordination team at home solve it together.
Who we repatriate
- Travelers hospitalized abroad after an illness or injury
- Retirees and expats relocating home, or closer to family, for ongoing care
- Passengers disembarked from a cruise or taken ill at a resort
- Students and workers overseas
- Post-surgical patients flying home
Working with insurers and assistance companies
We've been active members of the leading travel-insurance associations, USTIA and THIA, since 2010, and routinely coordinate directly with insurers, underwriters, and assistance companies to manage and document cases. Claims and audit teams get accredited clinical standards, predictable cost, and clean documentation on every file.
Real repatriations
Two recent cases show what this looks like in practice: a continuous-oxygen patient flown home from Australia, and a psychiatric repatriation from a difficult facility in Ghana. Both are written up below, in our Insights section, by the people who flew them.
Medical Repatriation: common questions
Straight answers from our coordination team. Still unsure? Call us and we'll walk you through the options, with no obligation.
Where do you operate?
Worldwide. We're based in Pompano Beach, Florida, and coordinate medical escort and repatriation cases anywhere commercial airlines fly, across borders, languages, and time zones.
Does the patient need to be fully recovered before flying?
No. The patient needs to be stable enough to fly on a scheduled airline with clinical support, not fully recovered. Our clinical team assesses fitness to fly for each case and will tell you honestly if a patient isn't yet ready.
Can you repatriate a patient without an insurer involved?
Yes. We work directly with families as well as with insurers and assistance companies, and provide a clear, transparent quote up front.
Do you handle visas and paperwork?
Yes. We help acquire visas for international travel and handle the airline medical clearance paperwork and in-flight equipment arrangements.
How quickly can you arrange a repatriation?
Our coordination team is reachable around the clock and we begin working a case as soon as you reach out. Timing then depends on the patient's clinical readiness, airline availability, and any clearances required. We'll give you a realistic timeline up front.
Case studies & guides
Case studies and practical guides from real CME missions, written by the people who fly them.
All insightsNeed to bring a patient home?
Call our coordination team or send us the case details. We’ll review the situation and give you clear options.