In Action: Critical Medical Repatriation from New Zealand

Distance from home: 7,321
Services Provided: Compassionate Visit, Medical Monitoring, Medical Repatriation with Medical Escort 
 
new-zealand-case.jpg
 

Newly married couple, Elisa* and Bill, were on their honeymoon in New Zealand when halfway through the trip, their car collided with a bus. Both were seriously injured, especially Elisa who was diagnosed with a devastating type of traumatic brain injury. After being admitted to the hospital, Elisa’s family contacted Global Travel Plus for help. 

As part of our compassionate visit service, Global Travel Plus immediately flew Elisa’s parents to New Zealand to be at their daughter and son-in-law’s bedside knowing that the couple would stay at the hospital for more than seven days. After a couple of weeks, Bill was finally out of danger and ready to be discharged. To ensure the best and quickest recovery, he needed to start long-term physical, speech and motor therapy as soon as possible. Although the decision to head back home was not easy to take, Bill eventually accepted and let Global Travel Plus arranged and paid for his repatriation. He was transported back to Portland, Oregon via business class stretcher, accompanied by a medical escort and his father-in-law. Elisa’s mother remained with her daughter in New Zealand until she too was cleared for travel.

Once Elisa was stable, Global Travel Plus arranged and paid for her repatriation. Because of her critical condition, Elisa’s transportation back home required two air ambulance rides, a trans-Pacific flight with commercial stretcher, ground ambulance transportation and a medical team. Elisa was transported from Christchurch to Auckland, New Zealand via air ambulance before being transferred to a commercial stretcher to Los Angeles. Once in the U.S., a second air ambulance took her to Portland where she was admitted to a rehabilitation center. Her mother was by her side throughout the entire journey, along with a medical team comprised of a nurse and a paramedic.

The complexity of this case and extent of the injuries sustained were especially severe. While Bill continues to get better day by day, Elisa’s road to recovery is a longer stretch. Fortunately, the couple is now under rehabilitation and surrounded by the love and care of family and friends. Being enrolled in Global Travel Plus allowed the couple and their family to focus on their recovery and health without worrying about the costs involved in such complex repatriation which could add up to over $150,000. 


Are you planning for your Honeymoon? Make sure you enjoy a peaceful and worry-free trip with your spouse by enrolling to Global Travel Plus here


 

Posted: 1/26/2018 3:41:53 PM