-Hannah Shaw Grove
Key Elements Of Worldwide Health Care Support
When
choosing a team to help manage your clients' health care, you need to
ensure that the organization can provide several key benefits:
24/7/365 access to support and advice: Medical emergencies do not tend
to occur during traditional business hours. The health care advisory
firm you choose to work with should provide all-day, every-day phone
access for your clients so they can immediately contact physicians and
hospitals worldwide to facilitate any needed care. Advisors should also
be available at any time to provide guidance and support or to gather
information about conditions or treatment options that can help your
clients make key medical decisions.
Consolidated electronic
medical records that can be transferred across the globe in minutes:
Especially in emergency situations, it is vital for any treating
physician to be aware of a patient's current health status, complete
medical history, current medications and treatments in progress. That
information can be life-saving, preventing common medical mistakes such
as drug interactions and speeding diagnosis. One of the first services
the firm you choose should provide is the collection, review, updating
and consolidation of the complete medical record for every family
member. That record should be made available in a secure electronic
format so the information can be delivered to any doctor or hospital in
the world in minutes.
Premier medical evacuation services: While
there are many options available for global emergency medical
evacuation, most services will only transport your clients to the
nearest medical facility. But in many cases, that facility is not the
most appropriate one if you are seeking access to the full range of
treatment options and the highest quality of care. In contrast, premier
medical evacuation services will transport your clients to the medical
institution of their choice in an emergency. By consulting with their
health advisor, clients can choose the facility that offers the most
appropriate and widest range of treatment options and they can be
assured they have access to the care they need and the quality they
expect.
In-depth knowledge of global health resources: It's
important that a health-care advisor have on-the-ground knowledge of
available health resources anywhere in the U.S. or outside the country.
That knowledge is essential when, for example, your client suffers a
broken leg in the Peruvian countryside or a heart attack in Beijing.
With these resources in place, the advisors can connect your clients
with the best quality care available wherever they are.
International medical insurance for cashless access to care: American
medical insurance is rarely accepted outside this country and many
other nations' medical systems are nationalized, providing care to
their citizens as a government service. For someone outside that system
to access care, up-front cash payments are often required. These
payments can be significant when care is required for a serious
emergency. International medical insurance is an important asset for
the health advisory firm to provide because it allows immediate access
to care without the required cash payment.
Tailored medical
intelligence reports: The best defense is still a good offense. Your
clients should have quick access to up-to-date, carefully researched
reports from their health-care advisor that outline current medical
issues in their destination countries as well as information about what
immunizations and other precautions are needed.
A Simple Solution To A Complex Challenge
By
building a relationship with a quality health-care advisory firm, you
can help your clients protect their health and well-being no matter
where in the world their business or pleasure travel takes them.
From your perspective, you're working with a single, convenient expert resource that provides the full spectrum of advisory, support and informational services for health issues. From your clients' perspective, you're going the extra mile to provide them with services designed to protect their most important asset-their health.
John Hutchins is the founder of PinnacleCare, the nation's leading private health advisory firm, and is one of the industry's foremost experts in coordinating the highest caliber medical care at VIP service levels.