National Patient Air Transport HELPLINE
The National Patient Air Transport HELPLINE, affiliated with the National Patient Travel Center, makes referrals and provides assistance to lower-income patients requiring transportation to a distant specialized medical facility (such as MGH) for evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment. The information specialists at the helpline will assess the patient’s condition and the distance the patient must travel, and make a referral. If the patient is travelling a distance of 1000 miles or less, they will typically refer to a volunteer pilot organization that will provide no-cost private or corporate aircraft travel for the patient and accompanying family members. For longer distances, the helpline can assist patients with various no-cost or deep-discount ticket programs provided by the larger airlines. The helpline can also provide assistance to family members who need transportation to MGH to visit a terminally ill patient. Most of the patients who use the volunteer pilot programs have a serious illness such as cancer or are burn victims. However, according to a recent article in the New York Times, the general secretary of Angel Flight, a volunteer pilot program, explained that volunteers are willing to fly anyone with a compelling need for travel but without financial means. Examples include flying a child to a burn camp, a family to a rare-disease conference and a battered woman and her children to an undisclosed, safe location late in the evening. For patients needing long-distance travel to or from MGH, whether one-time or for a regular course of treatment, the National Patient Air Transport HELPLINE is worth calling. They can be reached at 1-800-296-1217. Visit their website at