MEDEX Twitter Releases

Recent Twitter Releases

• Swine Flu Quarantines Vacationer in France. Would you know what to do?
• Woman develops Pneumonia while working in Bangladesh. Would you know what to do?
• While on service trip to Malawi, ten people unknowingly play with rabid puppy.
• Traveler bit by orangutan, needs medical attention, doesn’t speak the local language to understand doctors. Would you know what to do?
• Diver injured in swimming accident...2000 miles from home. Would you know what to do?
• Mexican Vacation Cut Short by Horrific Bodysurfing Incident. Would you know what to do?
• 21-year-old American study abroad student falls off the Great Wall of China.

---

Swine Flu Quarantines Vacationer in France. Would you know what to do?

After a long flight to France this summer, a man and his son were hospitalized with flu-like symptoms. He contacted MEDEX and was diagnosed with having the H1N1 virus, also known as the “swine flu.” MEDEX conferred with the treating physicians and the man and his son were treated with Tamiflu. After several days in the hospital, they were discharged, only to be quarantined in a hotel for a week. MEDEX worked with the man and his insurance company to arrange payment for the hospital bill and the hotel stay. Two and a half weeks later, the man was able to return home as scheduled.

If you were sick or injured abroad, would you know what to do? Before you travel, don’t forget to buy your MEDEX policy. It’s more than insurance...it’s MEDEX.

Woman develops Pneumonia while working in Bangladesh. Would you know what to do?

A U.S. citizen working in Bangladesh developed pneumonia. She was taken to a local hospital and her husband called MEDEX for assistance.

Fortunately, the hospital that she was taken to was a MEDEX-approved facility. Being comfortable with the hospital and the level of care the woman was receiving, MEDEX was able to monitor the case until the woman grew healthy. MEDEX medical experts conferred with the treating physicians and supported their decisions. The woman was discharged and continued to be monitored by MEDEX and the treating facility until she was strong enough to fly home to the United States.

If you were sick or injured abroad, would you know what to do? Before you travel, don’t forget to buy your MEDEX policy. It’s more than insurance...it’s MEDEX.

While on service trip to Malawi, ten people unknowingly play with rabid puppy.

While working in Malawi, ten NGO workers began to play with a puppy. The dog playfully bit the thumb of one of the workers, breaking the skin. A week later, they found out that the dog had rabies. Concerned, their employer called MEDEX for assistance.

Fortunately, MEDEX has one of the world’s leading experts on rabies on-call, 24/7. Dr. Henry Wilde urged that the entire group be treated for rabies. Due to the urgency of the situation and the fast-acting nature of the disease, he advised that they be treated locally – evacuating them to a nearby location would take too much time.

MEDEX contacted local facilities and identified which facilities could provide the rabies vaccination and treatment for the group. The series of injections would take several weeks, and the group was planning on traveling for work. Once the initial concerns associated with the disease were alleviated, MEDEX found facilities in their destinations to provide follow-up injections and care

If you were sick or injured abroad, would you know what to do? Before you travel, don’t forget to buy your MEDEX policy. It’s more than insurance...it’s MEDEX.

Traveler bit by orangutan, needs medical attention, doesn’t speak the local language to understand doctors. Would you know what to do?

While taking a picture of an orangutan, one man got a bit too close for the primate’s comfort. The orangutan attacked the international traveler, causing deep lacerations. Needing immediate medical attention, the man was taken to the local hospital, where the language barrier caused a problem between the man and his treating physicians.

His wife called MEDEX for help, and MEDEX Physician Advisors were able to communicate directly with the treating physician in the local language. MEDEX also made arrangements for the man to be evacuated to nearby Singapore for better wound care and treatment. After coordinating with hospitals, doctors, ground ambulances, and an air ambulance, MEDEX ensured that the man was transferred safely to a hospital that could not only provide better care, but also had less of a language barrier.

After multiple skin grafts, the man was discharged from the hospital and able to travel home safely. MEDEX’s Emergency Response Team monitored his case and his treatment the entire time.

If you were sick or injured abroad, would you know what to do? Before you travel, don’t forget to buy your MEDEX policy. It’s more than insurance...it’s MEDEX.

Diver injured in swimming accident...2000 miles from home

A week long Egyptian adventure ended suddenly for one expert SCUBA diver. While relaxing in his hotel swimming pool, another guest jumped in the pool, colliding with the vacationing diver. He returned to his hotel room in extreme pain, lay down on the bed, and realized his arms were numb. One of his friends called MEDEX for help.

The MEDEX Assistance Coordinator who answered the phone immediately understood the urgency of the situation. She contacted the hotel and had them call for an ambulance, meanwhile instructing the diver’s friends to not move him – a critical first aid rule in any suspected spinal cord injury.

The ambulance arrived and took the man to the nearby hospital and MEDEX Physician Advisors consulted with the local treating physicians to ensure the man received proper care. Diagnostic testing concluded that there was no spinal cord damage and doctors advised that the man could return home safely.

If you were sick or injured abroad, would you know what to do? Before you travel, don’t forget to buy your MEDEX policy. It’s more than insurance...it’s MEDEX.

Mexican Vacation Cut Short by Horrific Bodysurfing Incident. Would you know what to do?

While bodysurfing in Mexico, a powerful wave forced a vacationer headfirst into the sand. When he was brought to a nearby hospital and could not feel or move his body, his wife called MEDEX for help. The MEDEX Emergency Response Center jumped into action, and a MEDEX Physician Advisor conferred with the treating physicians in Mexico. It was determined that there was the possibility of permanent paralysis if the man was not evacuated to a better hospital soon.

MEDEX worked with air ambulance companies, hospitals and physicians to arrange for the transfer of the man to a better hospital. However, the local airstrip had closed for the evening and planes were not permitted to take off or land. MEDEX worked with local authorities to arrange for the air ambulance to land, in spite of the regulations, ensuring that the man could be evacuated to a hospital near his home. The flight went smoothly and the man returned home for long-term treatment and recovery.

If you were sick or injured abroad, would you know what to do? Before you travel, don’t forget to buy your MEDEX policy. It’s more than insurance...it’s MEDEX.

21-year-old American study abroad student falls off the Great Wall of China.

During a tour to the Great Wall during his semester in China, a young man decided to scale the wall, but when he was five feet up, he lost his grip and fell. Rushed to the hospital, he was initially diagnosed with a broken wrist and a compressed first vertebra, and his university called MEDEX for assistance.

MEDEX Physician Advisors spoke with the local Chinese physicians, and the student was diagnosed with a fractured hip. This was complicated by a blood clot that developed in his leg. Due to complications associated with the man’s age, cultural barriers, the need for long-term treatment and potential additional surgeries, MEDEX decided to evacuate the young man home to the United States. MEDEX arranged for an air ambulance flight, coordinating with hospitals, ambulances, and physicians in the US and China. Thankfully, the young man returned home safely to recover in the comfort of his own home.

If you were sick or injured abroad, would you know what to do? Before you travel, don’t forget to buy your MEDEX policy. It’s more than insurance...it’s MEDEX.

Home  |  Site Map  |  About Us  |  Who We Serve  |  Advice & Info  |  News Room  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Statement