Residents in Fort Nelson and the Northern Rockies will soon have another option for travelling to specialized medical appointments as Hope Air expands its flight program to the community.
The national non-profit organization provides free flights, accommodations and travel support for Canadians facing financial barriers to accessing medically necessary care. The expansion into Fort Nelson follows years of local advocacy and the recruitment of volunteer pilots capable of serving the region.
Stephanie Aldridge, Hope Air’s vice-president of patient experience and executive director for B.C., said expanding service to rural and remote communities is a key part of the organization’s mission.
“We know distance and travel and cost are real barriers for access to care, and so anything that we can provide, another tool in the toolbox, so to speak to help patients get to care, we think will be really impactful,” Aldridge said.
The organization said the expansion was made possible through collaboration with local leaders, including Fort Nelson City Councillor Lorraine Gerwing, and by building a network of volunteer pilots with aircraft capable of making the trip.
Volunteer flights operate seasonally, depending on weather conditions, while Hope Air also works with commercial airlines, including Central Mountain Air, to provide year-round service when needed.
For many northern residents, travelling to centres such as Fort St. John, Prince George, Kelowna or Vancouver for specialized care can be expensive, particularly when multiple appointments are required.
“On average, Hope Air, when we are paying for travel our average cost is about $2,600 per medical visit,” Aldridge explained.
“If an individual needs to travel with an escort, that’s $5,200, and that’s just one trip. You can imagine if you had to make multiple trips… those costs can really, really add up.”
Hope Air said covering the cost of transportation and co-ordinating travel logistics helps reduce the financial and personal burden on patients by limiting time away from work and family while improving access to timely health care.
“Travel by air is efficient, it is safe,” Aldridge noted.
“Our aim is always to ultimately help improve their outcomes because people are able to access the care they need in the time they need.”
Residents with confirmed medical appointments covered by their provincial health plan can apply for assistance online or by phone. Most applications are processed within three business days.
Aldridge said continued public support will be important to ensuring medical travel remains accessible for people living in rural and remote communities.
“Medical travel is a part of the healthcare system, it’s not an optional system,” she said.
“Share your stories and your experience so that we can create this groundswell of support, so that we can provide better supports for all residents of B.C., no matter where they live.”
