When travelers become seriously ill or injured away from home, access to medical care during transportation to the hospital or home can be vital.
International Medical Group® (IMG®), a leader in global benefits and assistance services, provides this additional level of support and security through its newly formed UK-based medical unit.
Led by Chief Medical Officer Dr. Geoff Tothill, the unit is comprised of four on-site nurses, two doctors and a network of 30 health professionals in England who provide medical escort services. The goal is to ensure excellent care throughout the duration of a member's treatment and transfer.
"We have complete control over the quality and delivery of clinical care from the time a member has a problem abroad to when they arrive at definitive care," Tothill said. "We know the capabilities and skill sets of the professionals moving the patients, we can establish the quality of care in-transport and we have visibility of all the factors that influence clinical outcomes."
As part of IMG's expansion of services, the company recently moved its European office from Burgess Hill to Redhill — a locale closer to London, which will offer IMG more flexibility and opportunities, while serving as a more convenient location for its medical escort services.
The new office in Redhill has a dedicated medical suite that houses the equipment approved for use during medical transport by ground or air. This includes a full medical kit, defibrillators, oxygen concentrators, cardiac monitoring machines, portable suction devices, glucose monitoring equipment as well as more specialist devices for complex transfers.
IMG's medical unit also provides a range of other medical services, including case management, international assistance, network management, health and wellness management, telemedicine and major incident management. Combined with its 24/7 emergency assistance arm, UK-based Global Response, IMG can offer members and external companies a comprehensive assistance package.
"All the medical services that we offer from London are available to our members depending on the various schemes under which they are insured," said Philip Wright, managing director of IMG's European division. "So, for example, if there is a benefit under a policy for repatriation to home country, then this would be provided by the medical team based in London. In addition, these services are available to non-insured clients, as we are building our portfolio of service-based offerings."
Tothill added, "With the introduction of our own patient transfer services, this again raises the levels of clinical care IMG is proud to be able to provide its members."
About International Medical Group, Inc.
International Medical Group® (IMG®), an award-winning provider of global insurance benefits and assistance services for more than 25 years, enables its members to worry less and experience more by delivering the protection they need, backed by the support they deserve. IMG offers a full line of international medical insurance products, as well as trip cancellation programs, stop loss insurance, medical management services and 24/7 emergency medical and travel assistance — all designed to provide members Global Peace of Mind® while they're away from home.
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