“We do what’s called bedside-to-bedside care,’’ said Bartusiak. “When people have assistance plans, they don’t need to stress over the details. That’s what we’re here for.’’
Traveling should be fun-filled and worry-free. But vacationers leave behind the predictability and convenience of home. Travel can be complicated by unforeseen crises — medical emergencies, canceled flights, lost luggage, natural disasters, political turmoil. In tough economic times, amid less sympathetic airlines, a dream getaway can devolve into a logistical challenge or worse.
Knowing how to handle travel emergencies can salvage a trip or, in the most dire situations, save a life. Preparedness can make a huge difference.
“We find that people spend more time looking for dinner reservations than finding out where they should go in the event of a problem,’’ said Mike Kelly, CEO of On Call International, a provider of travel assistance. “People should spend a little more time on their departure plan. Figure out what’s going to happen if mom gets sick at home, what’s going to happen if you lose your passport.’’
Specialists familiar with all kinds of travel emergencies can provide advice worth packing away for your next trip.
Medical emergencies
At On Call International, a typical day might include handling a medical evacuation off Antarctica, a motorcycle accident in Hawaii, and a tour bus crash in Russia. But there was also the teenager who developed heart valve problems in France. And the pregnant woman who delivered months early in Singapore.
Medical emergencies frighten travelers because of the unpredictability, cost, and varying quality of foreign health care systems. Without the benefit of assistance plans or trip protection, medevacs can range from $35,000 for a commercial flight with a nurse escort from Europe to $125,000 for a specially-equipped private jet departing from the same place.
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