Services
RN companion care for every leg of the trip
Every itinerary is different. Here’s the range of travel we support — all provided by a licensed Registered Nurse, one-on-one, from the moment we meet you to safe arrival.
Inter-Island Medical Appointments
Companion travel between the Big Island, Oʻahu, Maui, and Kauaʻi for appointments, procedures, or treatment.
Outpatient & Specialty Visits
Support getting to and from outpatient procedures and specialty consultations, with an RN on hand throughout.
Facility-to-Facility Transfers
Hospital-to-hospital or facility transfers when appropriate for a medically stable patient.
Returning Home
Companion support getting safely home after a hospitalization or course of treatment away from home.
Mainland Appointments & Treatment
RN companionship for medical travel to the mainland, coordinated around your specific itinerary and needs.
Other Medically Necessary Travel
For patients stable enough for commercial travel who need an RN companion for any other medically necessary trip.
Pricing
Starting rates for RN companion travel
Every trip is quoted individually after our RN team reviews the case. These are the starting points so you know what to plan around.
Inter-Island Medical Companion
One-on-one RN companion travel between the Big Island, Oʻahu, Maui, and Kauaʻi — appointments, procedures, transfers, and returning home.
Hawaiʻi to Mainland Medical Companion
RN companionship for longer medical travel from Hawaiʻi to the mainland, coordinated around your treatment schedule and itinerary.
Pricing may vary. Final cost depends on the client’s needs, the level of care required, and travel arrangements. We’ll walk you through a clear quote before anything is booked.
Where We Travel
Serving all the Hawaiian Islands — and beyond
Island Nurse Companion is based in Hilo and initially serves inter-island travel across Hawaiʻi, as well as Hawaiʻi-to-mainland trips.
- Big Island — home base, Hilo
- Oʻahu, Maui & Kauaʻi — inter-island travel
- Mainland — considered case-by-case
Mainland destinations are evaluated individually based on the patient’s needs, medical stability, and travel itinerary.
Why This Matters in Hawaiʻi
The access gap is real — here’s what the research shows
Hawaiʻi’s geography creates real gaps in care for neighbor island residents. These aren’t our numbers — they’re from University of Hawaiʻi research on physician supply and rural health access.
“Residents of Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi routinely face flight delays or cancellations, often missing urgent medical appointments and waiting months for rescheduling… these transportation challenges contribute to missed appointments, delayed treatments, poor health outcomes, and increased reliance on emergency services.”
— The Impacts of Transportation and Travel Access on Rural Health in Hawaiʻi, University of Hawaiʻi Rural Health Research & Policy Center, June 2025
This is exactly the gap Island Nurse Companion exists to help close — not by replacing emergency or higher-level medical transport, but by making the routine, medically-stable trip safer and less overwhelming for patients and families who already have enough to manage.
- Hawaiʻi Physician Workforce Report 2025 — John A. Burns School of Medicine Area Health Education Center, University of Hawaiʻi
- The Impacts of Transportation and Travel Access on Rural Health in Hawaiʻi — UH Rural Health Research & Policy Center, June 2025 (funded in part by HRSA and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health)
Scope of Services
What’s included — and our boundaries
RN-led companion care
Island Nurse Companion provides RN-led, one-on-one nursing support and medical travel companionship for patients who are medically stable and appropriate for commercial travel.
Services May Include
- Assessment and monitoring within the RN’s scope of practice
- Medication support and administration, when authorized and appropriate
- Assistance with mobility and travel logistics
- Observation for changes in condition
- Communication with designated caregivers and providers
- Advocacy and coordination of a safe arrival and handoff
What We Are Not
- Not emergency medical transport, an ambulance, or an air ambulance
- Does not replace emergency medical services
- Does not replace provider orders or airline medical clearance
- Does not replace higher-level medical transport when that level of care is required
- Each patient is individually assessed before a case is accepted
Every case is reviewed before acceptance. Because appropriateness for commercial travel depends on each patient’s condition, our RN team individually assesses every request — and will always be direct with you about whether Island Nurse Companion is the right fit, or whether a higher level of medical transport is needed instead.
Not sure which service fits your trip?
Reach out and we’ll help you think it through — no obligation. Referring from a hospital or provider office? See our case manager and referral partner information →