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Why yacht crewmembers should arrange their shoreside medical appointments through MedAire

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ENSURING HIGH QUALITY MEDICAL CARE

You're in a foreign environment and you need to visit a doctor, what steps do you take?


If you’re a crewmember that relies on your port agent or insurer to arrange shoreside medical appointments, there are several compelling reasons why you should call MedAire instead.


From skin rashes to back complaints, we offer much more than just emergency assistance. Here are our top 4 reasons to always call MedAire, whatever your medical situation may be.


1. CALLING US IN THE FIRST INSTANCE MAY AVOID THE NEED FOR ANY FURTHER FOLLOW UP

By calling us early, we may be able to provide initial diagnosis over the phone, including recommending medical kit items to manage the injury/illness and potentially helping you to avoid the need for any shoreside evaluation.


If we do decide a follow up is necessary - we may be able to refer you for a Video Teleconsultation. This allows you to be seen quickly by a registered local physician, who can prescribe medication for you, if required. It also saves you the inconvenience of having to go shoreside.


2. OUR KNOWLEDGE OF SHORESIDE MEDICAL PROVIDERS IS UNRIVALLED

MedAire maintain an extensive network of approved medical providers to ensure that you will receive high-quality care from facilities that we trust.


Our approved provider network includes hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities around the world, so you can rest assured that you will receive the best possible care no matter where you are.


Find out more about our network here.


3. MEDAIRE IS YOUR ONE POINT OF CONTACT

For crew and guests that require medical care onboard a yacht it can be difficult to maintain an appropriate care structure when travelling between different locations. When arranging your shoreside medical appointments through MedAire, we assist you every step of the way, from initial diagnosis to follow-up care.


Our objective is always the safety of you or the patient and by keeping MedAire as your one point of contact, we:

  • Source appropriate medical facilities and/or specialists, along your route
  • Coordinate appointments and follow up
  • Provide medical monitoring by checking in on you or the patient
  • Ensure that all medical records are kept up to date for seamless ongoing care:
    • For example: after a teleconsultation in one port, you send us the medical notes, we then ensure that the doctor at the next port of call has the necessary information to assist in any further diagnosis or tests needed.

4. WE CAN PLACE A GUARANTEE OF PAYMENT

Another advantage of arranging shoreside appointments through MedAire is our ability to place a Guarantee of Payment (GOP) with medical providers, multiple times if necessary.


Some shoreside medical facilities may not take care of you or the patient until payment is received. When you call MedAire, we will work with our locally approved provider to arrange payment on your behalf, which can often speed up your access to care and ensure that you are not left with unexpected out-of-pocket expenses.


TIPS TO ENSURE YOUR CREW ALWAYS USE MEDAIRE

Update your onboard protocols: To ensure that if there’s any medical complaint onboard you always call us first


Educate your crew about the service: Our medical professionals are available 24/7/365 and you have unlimited access to free telemedical advice. Make sure that your crew always call us by displaying our posters and placards in the crew mess and encouraging them to sign up for communications from us here. Your dedicated Account Manager is also available to run you through the service, whenever you or your crew need a refresher.


While you may work with your port agent or insurer to arrange medical care, there are clear advantages of choosing MedAire to coordinate your shoreside appointments. With certain insurers, for example CRS Yachts, we also have Direct Billing Agreements (DBA) in place, allowing us to directly bill them for any covered services – creating a fully integrated service for you.


To find out more about MedAire’s comprehensive service, visit www.medaire.com/yachts 

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Yachts Yachts Assistance