Assistance & Repatriation Review | April 2023 Edition

ITIJ Assistance and Repatriation Review Cover April 2023

Transporting the dead

Repatriating mortal remains in times of pandemic and war is difficult. Alysia Cameron-Davies investigates

Rebuilding networks after a crisis

Crises can disrupt provider networks, necessitating reconstruction. Lauren Haigh gains insights into the rebuilding process

Concierge services for travel and medical assistance: the VIP experience

Concierge services are becoming popular with consumers. Lauren Haigh explores this trend

Go to review

Interview: Dr Juliane Kause header image

Interview: Dr Juliane Kause of Everbridge

Dr Juliane Kause, Chief Medical Officer at Everbridge talks about duty of care, business travel assistance and patchy public health information

Interview: Dr Simon Worrell of Crisis24

Dr Simon Worrell, Crisis24's Global Medical Director talks about new technology, managing crises and assisting corporate clients

Establishing a provider network to support assistance services in a new region

Natalya Butakova, CEO at AP Companies, on what it takes to establish a new provider network in an unfamiliar country

Building a business in the West Balkans

Dr Ervin Kostakis, Chief Medical Officer for Albanian Intercare Services Group (Albintercare), explains how his firm provides assistance in the West Balkans

CASE STUDY: Providing medical support on the high seas

New Frontier Group describes how they provided medical assistance to a 45-year-old sea captain as he sailed home to the Netherlands with his ship.

CASE STUDY: Caring for a newborn with a cardiac condition

Logimedex shares how their Case Management team secured a prompt transfer and treatment for a young patient with a life-threatening condition.

CASE STUDY: Transporting bodies from Croatia to Poland

Tomislav Princivali, Organisation Manager of Funeral Hrvojka - Princivali Repatriation Assistance in Croatia, describes how his company repatriated the bodies of nine Polish citizens following a large road crash.

CASE STUDY: Returned home from Tanzania to Canada

AMREF Flying Doctors describe the treatment and repatriation of an elderly Canadian couple who had gone on safari in Tanzania.

CASE STUDY: Repatriating a multiple trauma patient

Dr Marjan Basmenji shares marm assistance’s experience in case management and repatriation of a critical patient suffering from multiple trauma, from Kayseri, Turkey, to Barcelona, Spain.

CASE STUDY: Navigating unstable mental health on a cruise trip

Med ResQ’s specialist expertise was sought by a cruise line client after a female patient travelling alone was medically disembarked in a Portuguese port and detained as an involuntary admission…

CASE STUDY: Repatriating mortal remains to Syria

Rowland Brothers International (RBI) describe how they managed to repatriate the coffin of a Syrian back home from the UK, despite numerous geopolitical hurdles.

CASE STUDY: Returning a family home over Christmas

Redpoint Travel Protection describes how they helped a family whose trip to Vietnam was cut short to return to the US over the winter holiday period.

CASE STUDY: Transporting a three-year-old earthquake survivor

On 6 February, two devastating earthquakes struck the Turkish province of Kahramanmaraş and northwest Syria. One three-year-old boy and his family had travelled from Switzerland to visit relatives in Adana…

ITIJ Assistance & Repatriation Review - October 2022

Travel risk management evolution of technology and skillsets

With a new awareness of travel risks facing globally mobile workers, travel risk management companies are offering new tools to mitigate the perils faced around the world. Mandy Langfield reports

Medical evacuation plans for cruise passengers

Transporting patients from cruise ships to appropriate hospitals often involves a lot of planning and efficient communication between assistance companies and cruise lines. Clara Bullock spoke to both parties to…

Assistance in Ukraine – case studies from security providers

Security and medical assistance firms stepped up to evacuate clients from Ukraine as the crisis escalated and Russia's bombing campaign began

Read the October 2022 Review

Interview: Dr Robert Quigley, Medical Director at International SOS

ITIJ spoke to Dr Robert Quigley, Medical Director at International SOS, about game-changing technological advancements in assistance and extreme weather events

Stepping up when people need it most

Christian Deloughery, an industry veteran currently working for Penfield Care, spoke to Mandy Langfield about his deeply personal involvement and experiences in helping refugees from Ukraine reach safety

Interview: Sumit Gaurav, Roy Medical Assistance

Sumit Gaurav, CEO of Roy Medical Assistance, shared details about the company’s development and recent activity

Assistance & Repatriation April 2022 Cover

Assistance for high-net-worth clients

The lifestyle of the rich and famous – or high-net-worth (HNW) individuals – often includes a lot of travel. In addition to the risks that all travellers face, however, from…

Kidnap and Ransom risk - Security on the front line

Kidnap and ransom risk (K&R) has changed a lot, with express kidnapping and ransomware demands now more typical industry risks. Clara Bullock spoke to assistance providers and insurers to find…

Adapting customer service to the post-Covid world

The pandemic has changed the way assistance providers work in a myriad of ways – from travel restrictions to Covid-safe transports. But has it affected the way they deal with…

Go to review

Assistance & Repatriation Case Studies

Broken Bones in a Foreign Land: Instant and coordinated response made easy through membership

Travel insurance policies are purchased to mitigate financial risk, but little thought is given to what happens in the event of an emergency on foreign soil. Travel emergency assistance and…

Quick decisions, fast-moving care

Musa Gürçay, Operation Manager for MedJET Medical Assistance, shared details of an evacuation from Turkey where a sudden change in destination meant cooperation from existing partners on the ground was…

Case study map Redpoint Travel Protection

Transporting a patient in the Antarctic

On an afternoon in late 2021, Redpoint Travel Protection was contacted by a ship’s doctor advising that a Redpoint policyholder aboard a ship to Antarctica had a sudden cardiac event…

Wing-to-wing repatriation of a stroke patient from Cyprus to the Netherlands

marm assistance’s Medical Evacuation and Repatriation services organise bed-to-bed patient transfers with medical escorts, including the management of all regular and unexpected medical and logistical assistance, until the final destination…

October 2021 - Assistance and Repatriation Cover

The key to successful remote evacuations

Lauren Haigh spoke to a selection of experts involved in remote evacuations about the valuable lessons learned and advancements acquired over the years that have helped make future rescues safer…

International repatriation of mortal remains

What will the ‘new normal’ look like for the international funeral repatriation sector, and how are the specialists in the industry preparing for it? Robin Gauldie reports

Technological innovation in travel assistance

What impact has the pandemic had on assistance industry innovation and how are assistance providers overcoming barriers to innovation? Sarah Watson finds out

read now

Case Study: AP Companies on the importance of thorough patient testing for diagnosis

AP Companies reports on a case that demonstrates the importance of thorough patient testing and evaluation

Case Study: CONNEX Assistance Middle East on operating on unfamiliar ground

Lara Helmi of CONNEX Assistance Middle East shares a case that saw the company challenged to operate in a new country

Case Study: Global Guardian evacuate a client from India to the US during a global lockdown

Global Guardian describes the execution of a 24-hour, seven-stop emergency evacuation of a Covid-19-positive client from India back to the US for treatment, all while navigating an international travel lockdown

Case Study: AMREF Flying Doctors on a straightforward case which suddenly becomes complex

Jane Munyua describes the seemingly straightforward case of a medevac from Uganda to Kenya that quickly become challenging, lengthy and expensive

Assistance & Repatriation Review | April 2021

The changing face of the global assistance industry

While Covid still presents many challenges to assistance services, providers have adapted and diversified to meet new customer demands and expectations. Sarah Watson looks at how Covid is continuing to…

Interview: AP Companies on the challenges of Covid and hopes for the future of travel

ITIJ spoke to Natalya Butakova, Business Development Director at AP Companies, about how the medical assistance company adapted to the challenges of the past year, and how its operations are…

Covid-19: logistical challenges for funeral directors

Emerson De Luca, International Secretary at FIAT-IFTA, a global organisation representing funeral directors from around the world, as well as unions/associations of funeral directors, tells ITIJ about the myriad challenges…

Go to review

Assistance & Repatriation Review | August 2020

ITIJ235 Assistance and Repatriation Review cover

Travel Risk Management: an evolving landscape

As global lockdown eases and business travel channels open up once more, companies around the world are seeking expert advice on how best to look after their mobile workforces in…

Digital lifelines for business travellers and expatriates

From telehealth platforms to traveller safety apps, Robyn Bainbridge takes a look at the wealth of digital solutions available to expats and business travellers, and asked, what can insurers do…

Funeral repatriations in the time of Covid-19

Covid-19 has affected all of us in one way or another, but the impact on the international funeral repatriation sector has been unique in terms of new challenges that have…

Read now

Assistance & Repatriation Review | February 2020

End-of-life repatriations

Tatum Anderson explores the complexities involved in organising these most sensitive of operations

How can assistance providers benefit from air ambulance base visits?

Patrick Schomaker, Director of Sales and Marketing at European Air Ambulance, explores the multiple benefits of a trip to an air ambulance provider's HQ

Investigating the past and future of employee assistance programmes

David Kernek looks back at the origins of employee assistance programmes and charts their evolving offerings

Read the February edition

Assistance & Repatriation Review | October 2019

Preparing for patient repatriation ahead of international sporting events

Gna kh Chung, CEO of Global Assistance Partners (GAP), explains the thorough preparations made ahead of a recent international sporting events in South Korea to ensure a smooth patient journey…

A day in the life … of an assistance doctor

Tatum Anderson talks to assistance doctors around the world to find out what an average day might look like for them

Getting set for the 2020 Olympic Games

What measures are being put in place ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games to cope with an influx of visitors?

Read the October edition

Assistance & Repatriation Review | April 2019

Assistance and Repatriation April 2019 Cover

Should patients be treated in-situ or repatriated to their home country?

There are multiple choices to be made during the repatriation process, but the decision of when to repatriate a patient is the pivotal consideration. How is this decision made and…

Ground ambulance options

Mandy Langfield explores the issues around transporting patients via road ambulance

The ins and outs of funeral repats

Understanding the processes, challenges and protocols inherent in the funeral repatriation industry is key for those who partner with such companies in the global travel and medical assistance arena. Fiona…

Read more from the Assistance & Repatriation Review