How MedAire's 40 years of experience deliver an industry-leading assistance solution
With over 40 years of experience in the superyacht industry, MedAire understands the unique challenges and demands faced by yacht crews.
As an organisation, we see greater complexity of case management and our MedAire360 membership has continued to expand and develop to provide the best possible health and security care for those onboard, and associated with the program.
Although an important piece of the puzzle, ‘emergency at-sea’ medical advice is often just the start point of a positive outcome to a case. The delivery of the ‘next phases’ generally takes significant infrastructure, funds and operational capability.
Some of the aspects critical to a positive case outcome are often not considered until needed, as outlined below. Our experience has shown us that these capabilities are all essential for us to support you in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of those onboard.
1. HOW DO YOU ENSURE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO QUALITY SHORESIDE CARE IN AN EMERGENCY?
In an emergency every second is crucial.
In medical situations that require shoreside care, MedAire can refer to our network of 85,000 approved and credentialed medical providers, to ensure high quality support.
We can also place a Guarantee of Payment (GOP) on the vessel’s behalf– multiple times if necessary. In many cases the only way to provide GOP’s is for established networks and relationships to be in place.
Our multi-disciplinary team are well-drilled to assist within these situations, regularly arranging air ambulances through a maintained network of credentialed aviation providers globally. An air ambulance can cost tens of thousands of dollars each and any delays in confirming payment (for example waiting for an insurer) could be crucial to the patient outcome.
Not only do we have logistics experts in place to coordinate such evacuations, but we have the financial infrastructure to support it. Click to find out how we arranged evacuation and operation for a client in under 24 hours.
Not all service providers have the funds available to place payment on your behalf, so we encourage this check as part of any due diligence.
2. ARE YOU EQUIPPED WITH THE RIGHT RESOURCES TO PROTECT THE OVERALL HEALTH AND SAFETY OF YOUR CREW?
When we talk about 360° coverage – we really mean it. The wheel below highlights the breadth of services that MedAire engages to provide your crew and guests with complete health and security coverage. MedAire’s scope of services covers any activities crewmembers partake in, on or around the yacht, ensuring a strong support network for them, wherever they are:
A crewmember isn’t sleeping well after a recent breakup, which you are concerned may affect the safety of his work.
- You suggest calling MedAire who provide general recommendations including caffeine avoidance and relaxation strategies. The team also suggest emotional support follow up, to confront the deeper issue.
You are concerned about the safety of crewmembers, following recent environmental protests
- Check the Maritime Risk Map for any alerts in your area and request further advice from our security team about any additional, necessary precautions to take.
A crewmember has been taken to a shoreside medical facility, following an incident off the vessel and you need to communicate with their German-speaking family
- MedAire’s translation capabilities allow you to appropriately and accurately explain the medical implications to the family.
You have concerns that your onboard medication and equipment is not appropriate for an upcoming trip to Komodo, Indonesia
- MedAire’s medical team to provide you with information on the risks, which helps you put in place robust illness and injury prevention programs.
Ultimately, a positive outcome hinges on a combination of interconnected factors: prevention through verified intelligence, actionable advice, rapid response, and robust case management capabilities.
3. ARE PLANS IN PLACE TO MITIGATE RISKS OF DATA BREACHES?
All patients have a right for their medical records to be handled with the appropriate level of care. For owners, operators and management there is real risk of reputational and personal damage through a privacy breach.
It is sensible to ask that your provider demonstrates adherence to globally recognised best practices. MedAire understands the importance of patient confidentiality and we meet numerous standards including:
- ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management Processes
- ISO/IEC27001:2013 – Information Security Management
- ISO/IEC 27701:2019 – Data privacy
- ISO 13131 – Telehealth
We also ensure that any providers we refer crewmembers to also maintain robust quality control structures like ours.
4. DO THEY HAVE BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANS IN PLACE?
With ongoing global permacrises and extreme weather events becoming more common, the ability for providers to deliver services to you could foreseeably be impacted.
MedAire have plans in place that mean we can continue to provide assistance, whatever the situation, with alternative sites of operations, essential equipment and services backup, and global offices. It’s now more important than ever to ask that your medical provider has such business continuity plans in place.
Our service delivery is also scalable as per client demand - we are relied upon by many of the world’s leading airlines, private jets, and superyachts, supporting on average 300 assistance calls a day.
5. SUPPORT WITH INSURER DOCUMENTATION
MedAire is a reputable, established organisation, with agreements in place with multiple insurance providers.
Known as a Direct Billing Agreement (DBA), these partnerships allow us notify your insurer of a case (on your behalf), verify benefits, pay external providers and then to invoice the insurer directly for any covered services.
It reduces administration on your part and allows us to operationally manage the case throughout, providing a more seamless experience for you. A DBA also allows you to focus on the operations of the vessel whilst having confidence that the clinical and patient care is being managed to the same high standard.
If you are a MedAire client, make sure to ask your insurer to contact us about setting up a DBA.
Even if you do not have a DBA in place, MedAire can support with insurer documentation, helping to facilitate any claims.
WORLDWIDE REACH HUMAN TOUCH
MedAire’s network is truly global, with access to 4,800 medical professionals and 27 Assistance Centres, through International SOS, around the world.
Partnering with MedAire, who specialise in end-to-end care, can really assist with supporting broader healthcare objectives, an approach consistent with increasing expectations from owners, for themselves, their family, their guests and those that work for them.
When you are relying on support, knowing that your chosen provider has a contact at the airport on the small island, or can coordinate a visit from a local nurse to see you, while recovering in hospital, can make all the difference.
So whether you have a skin rash, a throat infection or a more complex medical issue – trust that we have the expertise to support you, wherever, whenever, and importantly through the duration of the case or until you are safely home.