The Prepared Traveler“Know Before You Go”

The Society for Government Travel Professionals

February 5, 2009

A MEDEX Overview

30 years of protecting the health and safety of corporate and individual travelers around the world

Trusted partner for• Corporations• Insurers• Colleges and universities• USAID contractors• Affinity groups & associations

A MEDEX Overview

● MEDEX Global Solutions: MEDEX & ASI Group

● 59,000+ international service providers, including 100 medical International Centers of Excellence

● Monitor health and security issues in 236 countries and territories

● Managed cases in over 200 countries and territories

● Unparalleled provider credentialing

Companies Who Trust MEDEX

What can we do to protect travelers?

Investigate– Assess the destination

Educate– Advise participants

Activate

– Assemble & activate a workable plan

Investigate: Local Medical Care Where would you prefer to be

treated?

Sanatorio San Felipe

Acapulco, Mexico

Hospital Angeles LomasMexico City, Mexico

Investigate: Local Medical Care

• Health risks and endemic diseases • Standards of medical care available locally:

– Overall assessment– Selecting the most adequate facility for an emergency

• Cultural barriers to healthcare delivery • What are the better options for care? Creating a medical

emergency contingency plan

Better understanding of the local healthcare = more realistic expectations and better outcomes

Investigate: Creating a Medical Contingency Plan

• Best local option for medical care• Transportation method to medical care - locally, regionally,

internationally• Contacts & establishing relationships with:

– Medical facilities, ground ambulance (public vs. private)– Company (locally and head office)– Home physicians & specialists, insurance documents– Assistance company (would coordinate all above)

Investigate: Is the Trip Appropriate for the Traveler?

• Mitigate the risk related to medical issues while traveling

• Duty of care from the employer• Loss of productivity due to

medical concern• Medical emergency abroad can

have a long lasting impact on the traveler, and the corporation

Investigate: Security Considerations

Crime• Minor crimes, including theft• Transportation--are taxis and public

transportation safe • Major crimes, including assault & mugging• Serious crimes, including kidnapping &

murderPolitical and Social Instability

• Demonstrations• Government instability• Cultural shifts

Terrorism and Military ConflictCultural and Religious Issues

• Holidays• Attitudes towards women• Manners• Dress

Educate: on Medical and Security Pre-Planning

• Inform all players about: – The risks involved with travel– The resources available– The medical & security contingency plan– The assistance services available

• Players: HR & Benefits, Risk Management & Security, Travel Department, Business Units, Local Contacts, Employees traveling

Educate: Medical Pre-Planning

• Pre-Travel information on standards of healthcare, best options for care locally, evacuation criteria. MEDEX 360°m

• Recording important travel and medical information to be used in case of an emergency - MEDEX 360°tr

Educate: Being Ready Medically

• Pre-travel Consultation– at least 6 weeks before traveling for immunizations– seek medical advice specific to traveler’s needs

• Medical kits, especially for less developed countries

Educate - Security Pre-Planning

Get Pre-Trip Intelligence “know before you go”• Your Govt. Foreign Service Posts • Other Country’s Websites• Third Party Providers• Local Contacts

Remember: No-one lives in a bad neighborhood. That place may be their home. “We only had two bombings this week.”

The threat to me may not be a threat to you.

Educate: Security Pre-Planning

Some Basic Protection StrategiesPre-Planning your Trip

Your Hotel• “Four” or “Five Star” rated hotels• Crime in the hotel; drugs prostitution etc.• Do they have a security program? • Do they have a fire safety program?

Educate: Security Pre-Planning

Transportation• What is the threat to drivers?

– Familiarity with the area– Driving Rules and Customs– If you are from another

country is an accident automatically your fault?

• Carjacking, Kidnapping or Road Blocks and issue?

• Are you arriving at night?• How far from the airport to

your hotel?• What is the route like?

Activate: Preventing a Medical Emergency

• Know how to seek help to prevent simple inconveniences from becoming major medical emergencies

• Be wary of local resources: they may be an excellent good intelligence resource, but:– May also want to direct the emergency differently, according to

potentially lower standards– May have financial incentives to use specific providers

Activate: Coordination of a Medical Emergency

• Medical care including monitoring & assessment of medical care

• Medical transport: selecting the appropriate ground ambulance, air ambulance, commercial airline, with or without medical escort

• Financial arrangement with all providers as well as with the insurance company

• Communication with physicians, family members, colleagues, employer, insurance…respecting HIPAA

Activate: Security Pre-Planning

Documents and Schedules• Have two copies: one for you and one to stay home.• Make sure someone you trust at home and their has

your itinerary.• Set up some “check-in” times.• If you destination is higher threat think about some

code words. Innocuous words or phrases that tell someone at home your in trouble.“How is you knee holding up?”“Was the movie good?”“Does the boss know you left?”“How is the hotel gym?”Your answer, positive or negative, is the “go or no go”.

Activate: Security Pre-Planning

Hotel Safety• If available stay between the 3rd and 7th floor (most fire ladders

don’t reach above 7 floors)• Keep your room number to yourself• Turn on all the lights• Check all closets and bathrooms• Look at the fire escape plan on the back of the door• Use all of the locks when you are in the room• When you leave test the door behind you to make sure its locked• Make sure you find the fire stairs—open the door if it won’t sound

an alarm, see if you can open it

Activate: Security Pre-Planning

• Transportation• Have the drivers name, car details ahead of time• Have the driver use an innocuous name that is not easily

associated with you or your organization• If things don’t look right, make an excuse and call the

driver’s cell phone or your contact at home

3 items that you shouldn’t be without

− Wedding ring - may not be harassed or targeted as much as a single woman

− Rubber Door Stop – Hotel room doors are not as safe as you think. Chain link locks and deadbolts can be easily broken but it's almost impossible to open a door jammed with a rubber door stop. 

• Boxer Shorts – the mere perception of traveling with a man can protect a solo female traveler.

Activate: For Female Travelers

Activate: Security Pre-Planning

• Make sure those in charge know you have a plan and how to reach you or your critical resources

• Have a multi-channel plan – Traveler Tracking

• Where, oh where, did my traveler go?– Traveler Contact Capability

• Can you find people in a crisis?– Support System(s)

• Can anyone get me out of here?

Knowledge and Preparation Reduces Your Vulnerability

Don’t be afraid, be wary.

If that is something you don’t do at home…

and most of all…

Enjoy your destination.

MEDEX is passionate about keeping travelers safe and healthy and has the compassion to deliver experienced,

thoughtful, and immediate support when you need it most.