ghp November 2016 | 11 Health & Social Care We are emergency medical physicians. Black Bag specialises in physician-directed care and advice concerning emergencies, hospitalisation, and evacuation for clients travelling abroad. Essentially, we help them make ‘stay or go’ decisions when it comes to the quality and availability of medical care they need at the time. If evacuation or transfer is necessary, we help coordinate the medical and logistical requirements. This is all done on a very elite level. As a private emergency medical consultancy, you need to be able to pull a team together as the situation calls for it. Our network includes evacuation companies, security experts, translators, and more. We know who to call and when. Connections count. Black Bag’s success depends on the trust we build with other advisors and the clients to whom they refer us. We are quite pleased with the number of individual clients we have been asked to assist. We have also branched out into group travel needs. For instance, we worked with former Secret Service team members to provide medical support for ABC News members traveling to dangerous areas of Africa. The dedication of Black Bag ‘s staff members to client care is obvious. They take a holistic view of each client, not just the clinical information in their records. Their interpersonal skills are top-notch. Clients experience this first-hand and respond positively to it. It makes all the difference. Innovation In terms of innovation, electronic documentation plays a key role in global communication. Black Bag has created a medical summary document with Lynxcare. The Health Care Navigator is the only MD-verified medical summary available today. This can be securely carried by the patient or sent to the treating healthcare providers. Also, in terms of performance, Black Bag were invited to be part of the Domestic Estate Managers Association (DEMA) Security Council and present at their national event this year. Added to that, Family Wealth Advisor named us as one of two preferred providers they recommend to their clients. That type of recognition by independent third parties speaks volumes about our performance. Shaping the future of the healthcare sector Innovation, in our business, and is directly related to our ability to offer an alternative to the more ‘traditional’ delivery of medicine. When it comes to concierge medicine, patients are essentially paying physicians to be more available to meet their particular needs, including the ability to provide international medical care and assistance for those who travel. In terms of what Black Bag does, I believe we are literally pioneering a new frontier. Black Bag’s biggest challenge is keeping up with technology, with constant advances in telehealth being made on a daily basis. Implementing the changes and keeping our own system secure is of the utmost importance. As a result, we employ IT and medical record security experts to guide our firm’s evolution. Just to bring home the point that we truly are a visionary and global organisation, Black Bag is committed to supporting a number of philanthropic efforts. We offer pro bono medical, logistical, and networking assistance to a number of charities including Room to Read, World of Children and Worldwide Orphanage. Company: Black Bag Name: Dr. Christopher Sidford, M.D. Email:
[email protected] Web Address: www.emergencyblackbag.com Address: Atkinson Building, 29 Water Street, Newburyport, MA 01950 Telephone: +1 978 518 3203 Client Testimonial - Our Holiday Experience with Black Bag My wife’s overseas medical emergency While on holiday in Spain, my wife suffered a cerebral haemorrhage and was rushed into the local hospital and placed into intensive care. With health care staff that spoke very limited English, ahead of us was an unknown journey. Now, at 2 a.m. with my wife in the hospital, I was frantically calling relatives not knowing the standard of healthcare with which I had left her. The medical staff was advising me of the treatment options and the prognosis but I had no one to help with the decisions or share my concerns. My day-to-day work is around managing risk in the oil industry, but this melts into insignificance when trying to manage risk with your loved one. Then, through a relative of mine, I came in contact with Dr. Chris Sidford at Black Bag. Calmly collecting information about the illness, the location, the hospital and the physicians, within a short period of time, Dr. Sidford was able to respond with confirmation that the hospital and physicians were of the highest standard and that the proposed treatment was in line with expert opinion. This gave me confidence in the decisions I had to make. What’s more, when circumstances changed, his 24/7 availability was like having an expert alongside me in Spain. Thank you, Dr., Sidford and Black Bag. - Julian Hockney, England