Bali disaster - 9 feet fall on solid concrete
William, Michelle’s partner, called our Customer Care department from their holiday in Bali advising Michelle had just fallen from a balcony - a fall of approx 9 feet directly onto concrete. He said that she had been taking photos and the railing must have been rotten and given way.
Our Medical Case Manager, a Registered Nurse immediately spoke to the doctor at the hospital where Michelle had been initially taken, and discovered that she had a fractured neck (C2 - C3), and internal suspected bleeding. She was breathing spontaneously and we established that they could not treat her adequately in that location.
Our Medical consultant confirmed that Michelle needed initially to be moved to a higher level hospital in Denpassar but as soon as it could be arranged she required urgent evacuation to the nearest major facility. Her internal injuries and diagnosis made this time critical. Whilst Michelle was in the process of being road ambulanced to Denpassar, our Registered Nurse spoke to the Emergency physicians in Darwin Hospital, Australia confirming that they could accept her admission.
Also whilst she was being road ambulanced our Case Managers started organising the Urgent Medical evacuation by Air Ambulance. Darwin, Australia was the closest flying time. We confirmed that Darwin could treat her internal bleeding initially, as a first line, and then if she needed neurosurgery she could be moved after she was stable enough to fly and her internal bleeding was stabilised. The major worry was her internal bleeding, but we ensured her spinal fractures were being kept immobilised.
Our Case Management team contacted our Air Ambulance providers in the Australia to advise on time frames and availability options for a full medical team to take her to Darwin. The Medical Team then contacted the doctor at the hospital in Denpassar when Michelle had arrived and confirmed the latest results and her condition. We continued to monitor her progress 2 hourly whilst our case management team handled the logistics of getting Michelle to Darwin ASAP.
Our case managers liaised with her partner at all times and supported and assisted him. We considered her risk to be great and time critical so her partner signed a guarantee - if it turned out not to be covered, the pax would pay the bills.
Michelle was air ambulanced to Darwin, Australia where she was treated. Ultimately she was monitored for her internal bleed, as her fractures stabilised and we organised for her upgraded flight home, where she continued to improve.
Read Anneke’s story, who had to be evacuated from Honduras after an accident in the jungle.