Medical evacuation

During the full-scale war in Ukraine, the number of wounded, injured and seriously ill people is growing steadily every day. Many of them require not only emergency care, but also highly specialized treatment and long-term rehabilitation, which in wartime conditions is often impossible to provide in full in Ukraine. In this regard, the medical evacuation system is rapidly developing, which is quite complex from a legal perspective. That is why it will not be superfluous to involve a lawyer who will take care of all the formalities and take care of the correct registration of each stage – from the first application to safe transportation abroad.

What is the medical evacuation stage?

In general, the medical evacuation stage is an organized system of measures that involves medical units and institutions located along the evacuation routes. Its main goal is to receive the wounded and sick, conduct their medical triage, provide the necessary assistance, provide treatment and, if necessary, prepare the victims for further transportation.

This stage is critically important in cases of mass trauma, when providing medical assistance to everyone at the same time is impossible.

The Ministry of Health, in cooperation with foreign partners, implements the international medical evacuation program (MedEvac), which allows transporting victims for treatment outside the country. Both civilians and military personnel with severe injuries, deep burns and complex chronic diseases are evacuated to leading medical facilities.

What is medical evacuation of cancer patients?

Medical evacuation abroad involves assistance to people not only with serious injuries, but also with oncological diseases of various degrees for both adults and children.

However, it is worth noting that the first priority is to evacuate people with injuries received as a result of the aggression of the Russian Federation, and patients with serious illnesses who have lost access to highly qualified medical treatment.

How to arrange medical evacuation for treatment abroad?

Within the framework of the international MedEvac mechanism, the Ministry of Health, together with partners, organizes the transportation of patients abroad. The procedure includes several key stages:

1. Initiation of a request for evacuation through the attending physician or by filling out an application on the website. The decision is made in accordance with the order of the Ministry of Health No. 574, which establishes the criteria for sending citizens abroad for the period of martial law.
2. Registration of medical documentation. It is necessary to prepare an extract from the medical record in form No. 027/o, which confirms the patient’s condition. This document must be completed by a doctor from a healthcare facility involved in coordinating medical evacuation.
3. After collecting the documents, the Ministry of Health forwards the request for treatment to a special international coordination mechanism. Then, the EU or European Economic Area countries send proposals for accepting the patient.
4. The stages of the patient’s movement are coordinated — from a healthcare facility in Ukraine to a receiving clinic abroad.

What is needed for evacuation?

First of all, patients who need:

• highly specialized surgical treatment after severe injuries;
• assistance in case of deep burns;
• treatment of oncological diseases (both in adults and children);
• assistance to children with rare (orphan) diseases are evacuated.

The necessary documents for medical evacuation are:

1. Passport or international passport (if available);
2. Medical extract from the medical history;
3. For children — additional medical documents regarding the diagnosis and condition.

Important: lack of documents is not an obstacle to evacuation in cases of serious injuries or cancer in children.

How much does legal support for evacuation cost?

The cost of a lawyer’s services for supporting the medical evacuation procedure depends on a number of important factors. It is impossible to name a specific amount, because each case is individual and requires separate consideration.

The main factors that affect the price of legal services for evacuation in this process:

1. The number and complexity of collected documents – the more papers need to be drawn up, the more time the lawyer spends.
2. The patient’s health condition – in urgent cases, quick action and round-the-clock involvement of specialists may be required.
3. The presence of a complete package of documents – if you need to prepare statements, make translations, certify documents, this increases the amount of work.
4. The location of the patient and the evacuation hub – with a more complex logistical route, more coordination actions are required.
5. The need to participate in international communication – contacting foreign clinics, organizations or translators may also be included in the cost.

How can we help?

“Prikhodko and Partners” offers comprehensive legal support for medical evacuation for seriously ill patients. We understand how complicated this procedure can be, so we have created the most convenient and effective algorithm of actions.

Our company offers:

• Full support for medical evacuation – from the first consultation to departure abroad;
• Preparation, execution and verification of the necessary documentation;
• Consultations on the criteria, evacuation procedure and possible routes.

You can contact us personally as a patient who needs to be evacuated or on behalf of a representative of the injured person. We not only take on all organizational and legal aspects, but can also provide one-time consultation or preparation of a package of documents – depending on your situation.