Bermuda Hospitals Board yesterday called for the Island’s air ambulance to gain international certification so it can become the carrier of choice for all patients needing overseas treatment.However, Bermuda Air Medivac (BAM) argued it could only get approval from the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS) if it was able to rescue patients from mountains and deserts and deal with snakebite victims.Currently some cardiac patients are left waiting several hours for American planes to collect them while Bermuda’s plane sits at St David’s hangar.Insurance companies Colonial and BF&M are said to prefer American-based planes because they are accredited by CAMTS.BAM vice president Eloise Bell, who says an independent auditor has declared BAM’s plane safe and the medical services competent, has requested CAMTS give it approval subject to not operating in the kind of circumstances it never encounters. A BHB spokeswoman told The Royal Gazette yesterday: “We would be extremely supportive of using a Bermuda-based carrier if there was a certified, local air ambulance.“As there are no local regulations around this type of service, international certification is required to assure quality around patient safety.“International certification ensures not only that the plane itself is maintained to standard, but that the medical equipment onboard is working to standard, that medications are stored appropriately and kept updated, and that personnel have required qualifications and training that are kept current through continuing medical education.“BHB itself goes through international accreditation, and its land ambulances also have to be certified. We expect the same level of quality assurance for air ambulances, as during travel patients are pretty much in their hands alone. “Patient safety is always our first priority. Not only is this part of our duty of care for our patients, but we would not send our patients to a hospital that did not meet basic international standards of care and we cannot, in all conscience, put all of our patients in the hands of an uncertified, unaccredited air ambulance, unless the critical nature of their illness means this is their only option.“We certainly believe having a certified local carrier is in the best interests of our patients and we are extremely supportive of Bermuda Medivac achieving international certification. Having this certification would increase business for them significantly, as well as clearly demonstrate their commitment to patient safety and care.”Ms Bell said the BAM plane donated by philanthropist David Barber six years ago was assessed by an independent auditor brought in by one insurance company and “passed with flying colours”. She said some insurance companies are continuing to use it, and Colonial and BF&M have done so in emergencies.“If you can use us to do critical people, then we are good enough to do the non-critical,” she said.“CAMTS is a medical certification required in some States. Other than geographical stuff like being able to fly in mountains and deserts, BAM could be CAMTS certified, subject to BAM’s decision to not take high-risk pregnancies or neonates.“BAM is willing to be certified for those conditions and BAM does not take high-risk pregnancies anyway. We are trained and meet all the other conditions. Why should the company be subject to satisfying conditions they’d never have to encounter?”The Ministry of Health has not responded to requests for a comment, but Shadow Health Minister Louise Jackson said yesterday: “I believe Bermudian patients are best served by having a variety of air ambulance services available to them and their doctors. There are many different types of patients that require air ambulance services and their specific needs will differ.“Costs may be a consideration in some cases and timing in others, but I also understand that for certain patient conditions, some local insurers will only use air ambulance services that have been internationally accredited by CAMTS and/or EURAMI (European Air Medical Institute) to insure patient safety in cases where there is potential for a serious medical incident en-route that needs to be managed.“Examples would include patients with serious cardiac problems or certain premature babies with medical conditions requiring overseas care.“Not all air ambulance services are accredited at this level. I understand that local insurers will use different air ambulance services, including Bermuda Air Medivac, depending on the circumstances, availability and the needs of the patient and doctor.”