Headline News

UNWTO launches ‘Tourism Opens Minds’ initiative

The launch formed a part of World Tourism Day celebrations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

china flag and lanterns GettyImages-686614436

Travel bookings increase in time for China’s Golden Week

The eight-day holiday combines the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday

Charles Taylor Assistance wins digital excellence award

It developed a digital claims processing system for LV= travel insurance customers

FinTech Global selects VisitorsCoverage in top 100 list

VisitorsCoverage, a global travel insurance marketplace, has been named an InsurTech100 company by specialist research firm FinTech Global

Healthcare industry ranks in top 10 for client data leaks

Nearly 300 healthcare organisations worldwide experienced data breaches exposing consumer data

Hospital Clínica Bíblica joins GPN

Costa Rica’s Hospital Clínica Bíblica private healthcare facility has joined the Global Provider Network (GPN), as part of plans to encourage medical tourism

Improved travel risk intelligence system offers business travel security

Global Rescue said that the ‘new and improved system’ – GRID 2.0 – is an integrated travel risk, asset tracking, intelligence delivery and crisis response management platform

Brazil has high perceived security

The country has improved its perceived safety among tourists, according to a study by data analytics firm Mabrian, in partnership with tourism promotion agency Embratur

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September 2023 Issue

Insurtech collage technology and integration

What do insurtechs want from their insurance partners?

In the second of our two-part series, Lauren Haigh spoke with insurtechs to find out what they need from insurers to ensure the smooth integration of services

Battling sophisticated medical fraudsters

Can insurers tackle smart, tech-savvy criminal gangs who are increasingly involved in medical fraud? Alex Wright investigates

Compliance and privacy across borders collage

Complying with multiple patient privacy laws

Assistance and aeromedical providers must comply with strict data privacy laws when transferring patients across borders. Cathy Hudson investigates

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Communication about cost containment collage

Communication: the key to cost containment

Whether between payers and providers or patients and physicians, establishing – and maintaining – a relationship is paramount when it comes to ensuring the right care and costs. Megan Gaen…

EURAMI Update – September 2023

The latest update from the European Aero-Medical Institute (EURAMI) announces its latest re-accreditations and gives details of the EURAMI conference agenda and speakers

Industry Voice: Keeping employees safe while they are abroad

Peter Bellwood, Managing Director of Bellwood Prestbury, explains the key steps you need to take in order to protect your employees and their dependants when they travel overseas

Industry Voice: Making travel truly accessible

Becky Hart, Communications Specialist at Seven Corners, on why doing the right thing for travellers with disabilities leads to better business

Interview: Dr Ilya Rapoport, – Fighting fraudulent medical claims from providers

Dr Ilya Rapoport, Medical Director at AP Companies Global Solutions, discusses how stringent processes, in-depth knowledge, and advanced technology can help to deter and detect fraud

Sir Zahal Levy healthcare magnifying glass

Interview: Sir Zahal Levy – To Europe and beyond

President and Founder of MediHelp International Sir Zahal Levy spoke to Megan Gaen about bringing private medical insurance to Central and Eastern Europe and the industry-wide issues that still need…

Interview: Claire Hargreaves – A globalised approach to insurance provision

Claire Hargreaves, Managing Director, UK, EU and CIS at Global Benefits Group, spoke to Michelle Royle about the global health insurance marketplace, and creating a company culture that reflects these…

Jet patient transport

As a platform for air ambulances, fixed-wing jets provide a solution for transporting patients long distances very quickly. Jon Adams summarises and compares four of these aircraft

ITIJ_272_September_AA-Review_The_price_header

The price is right for taking flight

Geopolitical events and public health crises can inflate air ambulance costs, but there are ways that assistance companies can ensure value for money. Assistance and air ambulance professionals share with…

Moving medicines

International prescribing represents a potential legal minefield of risks for insurers, assistance companies and medical escorts. So, what can be done to make it as safe as possible for patients…

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High-level fraudsters

As the mountain trekking sector in Nepal bounces back from the effects of Covid-19 travel restrictions, has the issue of fraudulent claims for helicopter rescues gone away? Not really, industry…

The learning journey: from the classroom to the skies

For aeromedical staff, training is a fundamental part of the job – from the beginning of their careers and throughout. Megan Gaen speaks to experts in the field about the…

CASE STUDY: Challenging air evacuation rescues critically ill patient from war-torn Sudan

Whilst AMREF Flying Doctors (AFD) routinely perform many flights for national and international clients on frequented routes into African, Asian and European Countries, AFD also specialise in niche missions, such…

CASE STUDY: International road-accident repatriations

Every air ambulance flight is linked to a tragedy in some way. However, within a short period, the European Air Ambulance (EAA) was tasked with four very similar repatriations with…

CASE STUDY: Out of the ordinary

After decades of experience in aeromedical transports, one might think they have seen it all – however, sometimes there is a case so extraordinary that even the most experienced flight…

Airlec Air Ambulance life support machine

CASE STUDY: Mission impossible

In situations, where patients are in need of help in foreign countries, and where other fellow air ambulance competitors denied their help, Airlec once again proved their competence in organising…

Swiss Air-Rescue Rega contagious patients

CASE STUDY: Transporting highly contagious patients

Missions to transport contagious patients are demanding, and part of the everyday work of the crews of Swiss Air-Rescue (Rega). Thanks to Rega’s strong innovative drive, repatriating patients on board…

CASE STUDY: Crossing three continents on land, sea and air

When a 42-year-old crew member on a cargo vessel developed chest pain while on duty in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea near North Africa, the crew of Redstar Aviation…

News analysis: Extreme tourism – into the danger zone

Adventure travel insurance covers hiking or skiing, but doesn’t extend to descending 12,500 feet into the ocean to see the wreck of the Titanic. If interest in extreme tourism continues…

Insurers and insurtechs: the best of both worlds

In part one of a two-part content series, four long-established insurers spoke with Lauren Haigh, divulging first-hand how they view insurtechs and articulating what they need from potential new partners

Cruising to success

Alex Wright examines the current assistance provision for cruise passengers and speaks to experts about pricing, medical provisions and the surge in bookings as the industry recovers from the pandemic

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Industry Voice: Do digitisation and AI have a place in the IPMI industry?

David Withnell, Chief Risk Officer at AXA Global Healthcare, tells Michelle Royle that finding a balance is the key

Industry Voice: The rewards of post-pandemic travel

Brad Dance, TuGo’s Chief Customer Officer, speaks to ITIJ about the benefits of travel post-Covid-19

Industry Voice: School of ROCK

Product pricing must be fair throughout the design process, Antony Martin, Managing Director of ROCK Insurance Group, tells Michelle Royle

Attracting and retaining talent in insurance

Employees’ expectations have evolved massively over the past few years. Mario Pierobon explores what insurance companies are doing to recruit and hold on to their greatest assets

EURAMI Update – August 2023

The latest update from the European Aero-Medical Institute (EURAMI) announces its latest re-accreditations and details of the first EURAMI conference

Delivering advanced real-time UX innovation

Blink Parametric launches new UX design for real-time travel assistance solutions. This issue we hear from Richard Lucker, Head of Product and UX with Blink Parametric

Interview: Daryl Trawick – Looking to the future

Daryl Trawick, Founder, President, and CEO of Trawick Holdings, Trawick International, and SureGo Administrative Services, talks to ITIJ about the company’s 25-year anniversary and why he’s excited about what’s next…

From holidaymaker to hospital patient

As the Caribbean's tourism sector continues to expand post-pandemic, is medical assistance provision keeping up? Megan Gaen investigates

Canadian post-pandemic travel surges – but with changing consequences

Milan Korcok examines new snowbird routines, and considers the challenges the travel insurance industry might face when it comes to policies for this group

EURAMI Update – July 2023

The latest update from the European Aero-Medical Institute (EURAMI) announces its latest re-accreditations and one primary accreditation

Carl Carter interviews Blink colleagues Dave Buckley and Wayne Morgan

Interview: Blink Parametric discuss what powers their technology

Carl Carter, Chief Commercial Officer at Blink Parametric, talks with Wayne Morgan, Head of Technology, and Dave Buckley, Head of IT Operations & Infrastructure, about Blink Parametric’s ‘Engine’ and what…

Interview: Joaquim San Nicolás – Conscious collaboration

Michelle Royle spoke to Joaquim San Nicolás, Deputy Head of International Medical Networks, EMEA for AXA Partners, about his career to date and the importance of employee mental health support

Interview: Duncan Clifford, Head of Global Networks at AXA

Michelle Royle speaks to Duncan Clifford, Head of Global Networks at AXA, about his role, developing strategic solutions, and building important relationships

Interview: Andrew Blomberg – International Citizens Insurance

Michelle Royle spoke to Andrew Blomberg, Director of Sales at International Citizens Insurance about their global reach, challenges they have encountered, and what’s next for the company

Interview: Daniel Durazo – Changing the game

Daniel Durazo, Director of External Communications at Allianz Partners USA, speaks to Michelle Royle about his career at the company and how the pandemic changed everything for insurance providers

Industry voice: Customer connections

Michelle Royle spoke to Michel Etienne, CTO at Foyer Global Health, about the use of technology to serve IPMI customers effectively in all matters – from policy purchase to claims…

Industry voice: A doctor on demand

Easy access to virtual healthcare is here to stay, Joe Thomas, UK Managing Director of APRIL International UK, tells Michelle Royle

ITIC Americas: Attracting and retaining staff in insurance and assistance

Lauren Gumport and Daniel Durazo discuss the current best practices on attracting talent, retaining staff and employee wellbeing

ITIC Americas: Hospital billing best and worst practice

On the second day of our ITIC Americas conference, Serge Avice du Buisson, Victor E. Navarro and Diane Lynn discussed in-depth the process of hospital billing – both good and…

ITIC Americas 2023 Disaster Preparedness Panel

ITIC Americas: Disaster preparedness

In the second of our ITIC Americas sessions, Jose Marchand, Yanni Jota and Edmund Santiago discuss what have we learned from the pandemic

ITIC Americas: Cruise assistance

In the first of our ITIC Americas sessions, Federico Tarling, Thomas Lescot and Sergio Abril discussed the availability and quality of care in popular cruise destinations

Geopolitical chaos: The European response

Megan Gaen investigates how air ambulances and assistance companies were affected by Brexit, Covid-19 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Wing-to-wing transfers and the need for strong partnerships

Wing-to-wing patient transfers are sensitive, complex missions – and success relies on partnerships that are exceptional in every way. Air ambulance operators share with Lauren Haigh the crucial considerations when…

Can I get a quote? Providing accurate quotes to clients for time-sensitive missions

Oliver Cuenca talks to members of the air ambulance community about how they provide accurate quotes to clients when responding to time-sensitive missions

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NEW | Air Ambulance Case Studies

Case study: Malteser AeroMedical face challenges in Mombasa

As with many cases received by the operations team at Malteser AeroMedical, this case started rather harmlessly, but quickly turned into a mission full of challenges and difficult decisions.

Case Study: Unicair on providing High Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen on long-distance, international fixed-wing aeromedical transport

Noninvasive ventilatory support with High Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen (HFNC) is increasingly popular across the age continuum in patients with respiratory compromise, in whom intubation and mechanical ventilation should be…

European Air Ambulance case study header

Case study: European Air Ambulance Challenger 605 raises the bar

A little more than a year after its start of operations, Luxembourg-based European Air Ambulance (EAA) is more than pleased with the overall performance of its first longrange aircraft, the…

Case study: Redstar Aviation on a double transport from Turkey and Greece back to Germany

It was early October on a beautiful afternoon at Redstar Aviation’s headquarters in Istanbul, Turkey, when the operations centre received a call from a client in Germany, enquiring about a…

All things Air Ambulance

Hospitals & Healthcare news

Healthcare industry ranks in top 10 for client data leaks

Nearly 300 healthcare organisations worldwide experienced data breaches exposing consumer data

Hospital Clínica Bíblica joins GPN

Costa Rica’s Hospital Clínica Bíblica private healthcare facility has joined the Global Provider Network (GPN), as part of plans to encourage medical tourism

New facilities at Los Angeles hospital

California’s Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center will open a new 20,717m 2 facility on 1 October

PAM Wellbeing joins amii

PAM currently supports more than one million employees across 2,000 clients