How to prepare for a medical emergency abroad

Know the risks for all activities and trips.

Confirm any risks with your travel provider and note the safety aspects before choosing an activity. If you’re unsure, refer to the FCDO’s (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) activity checklist to know what to ask.

Check safety advice for the country (or countries) you intend to visit via the FCDO travel advice website. These can change, so it’s a good idea to set up alerts for your destination/s to be aware of any changes before you go and throughout your stay.

After booking your trip.

• Locate your nearest public hospital or emergency room, which is closest to your accommodation.
• Write down and save the emergency phone number for the country you’re visiting.
• Share your travel insurance and trip details with your travelling companions, plus a relative at home.
• Gain a basic understanding of the local language, if you require help. Translation apps can help you out too!

Take out travel insurance to travel, with confidence.

Refer to Free Spirit’s Travel Insurance Policies. Check how much can be paid out for emergency medical and repatriation cover to avoid paying an expensive bill if you unexpectedly need treatment abroad.

Once you have purchased the policy, write down the following and store it in a safe place, i.e. your phone contact list:

• Your policy number.
• The medical assistance number you will need to call if you need medical assistance abroad.

Check your EHIC Card is in date or obtain a GHIC Card.

Travelling with a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), plus suitable travel insurance, provides you with healthcare in public hospitals at a reasonable cost – sometimes for free. Some insurers will also waive your excess if you have presented your GHIC to the medical facility.

When you face a major medical emergency abroad, call an ambulance using the local equivalent of a 999 number.

Wikipedia has a helpful list of numbers for most destinations to refer to. Arrange for someone to contact your insurance provider on your behalf if you are unable to do so.

It’s important to call the medical assistance number, as they can let you know which facility will be able to help you and can approve medical costs if they are needed.

After Arriving at Accident and Emergency

Do not share your credit/debit card details or passport with the healthcare provider before treatment, unless you are paying for outpatient treatment below £500 and claiming this back.

Present your EHIC or GHIC card to the medical facility.

Medical bills should be dealt with when they come in by your insurer’s assistance company. The assistance team is there to liaise with the hospital and arrange the most appropriate treatment for you along with payment for this treatment.

If you do pay for treatment up front, make sure you keep the receipts and notify the medical assistance team as soon as possible.

When you’re asked to pay for any treatments (usually anything under £500 ), keep all receipts to claim the costs back when you return home.

Keep all receipts and documents.

Keep a copy of any invoices, prescriptions, and medical bills to submit during the claims process. Without these receipts, it’s likely that you won’t be able to claim the money back.

Repatriation

The medical assistance team will organise your return home based on the treatment you’ve had and will liaise with the hospital/medical facility to work out the safest way to get you home.

They will also arrange a ‘fit to fly’ authorisation for the airline or other transport method on your behalf, as well as additional accommodation if you need to stay at your location for longer.

Note: Whether you travel home by air ambulance, train, boat or plane, you may be required to stay in the hospital or hotel for longer. Make sure you stay in touch with the assistance team if there is any change in your health or wellbeing so that they can continue to provide you with the best information and care.

It’s important to understand that organising treatment at a suitable facility or repatriation can take time, especially if you have complex medical needs, i.e. surgery for a fracture.

You might not get daily updates on progress, but the assistance team should contact you when there are any material changes or key updates, for instance, a change in treatment plan. If you’re worried about something, you can reach out to the medical assistance team, and they will do their best to offer support and guidance.