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| Advisors' Forum |
Emergency Responsiveness
11/01/2005
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Our family office employs a physician on an annual retainer. Recently, a family member was involved in a car accident abroad and needed a surgeon, but it took our doctor a full 36 hours to suggest someone. He comes through with strong recommendations in cases like this, but it often takes a day or even two. Clearly, it is upsetting to have to wait when faced with a medical crisis. How do other family offices prepare for medical emergencies and ensure a high level of medical care for family members, especially when they travel?
The key to ensuring medical care that is there when and where you need it is to plan ahead. First and foremost, maintain a personal health record. Having immediate access to personal medical records and health information saves critical time for professionals in determining a course of treatment. Today, online personal health records, like PersonalMD.com, offer immediate access to health information via the Web.
Also, pre-identify health resources and preferences. Much in the same manner that destination hotel, airline and ground transportation options are researched prior to departure, health resources should be identified, particularly when there are known personal health concerns, such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma. Unfortunately, there is no best source for identifying these resources. Patients should work with their primary health care provider for a preferred list of destination referral sources and/or subscribe to a recognized medical resource database. Last, have a health checkup before you board the plane. All too often, “emergency” care is the result of something previously known or suspected.
Deborah McKeever, Executive Health Exams International, New York.Medical assistance abroad can be a challenge, to say the least. Many countries and resort destinations have little or no access to the type of medical assistance that we are accustomed to here in the U.S.
We recommend purchasing travel insurance, which not only protects the value of the investment in the trip in the event that illness or an accident prevents the trip from taking place, but also provides immediate assistance worldwide in the event of accident or illness. These policies also have features such as emergency medical evacuation, should it be necessary.
We highly recommend RBC Travel Insurance. An operating entity of RBC is Assured Assistance, a company that provides world-class emergency assistance and guidance for travelers. It offers emergency medical services through a worldwide network of established and highly competent medical professionals.
Terry W. Brennan, Williamsburg Travel Management—American Express, Atlanta.
It is difficult for any family office to retain the type of talent and resources needed on a global basis when it comes to best-in-class medical care for its family members. Fortunately, in the last two years, we have seen the emergence of outsource providers who are both a source of contacts for best-in-class medical care and who act like a personal medical and wellness care coach to individual family members.
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