14 October 2002 11:58
International SOS and Johns Hopkins International Announce Cooperative Agreement for Emergency Medical Services
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CONTACT: International SOS
Andrea Bestul, 215/633-6610
andrea.bestul@internationalsos.com
or
Johns Hopkins International
Emilio Williams, 410/502-3216
Fax: 410/502-7397
/Health & Medical Writers PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 2002--International SOS, the world's
largest medical and security assistance company and Johns Hopkins International, the organization within Johns Hopkins
Medicine charged with advancing the Johns Hopkins mission of teaching, research and patient care internationally,
announced the signing of a cooperative agreement concerning emergency medical services. The agreement provides SOS with
access to Johns Hopkins' Department of Emergency Medicine and its extensive expertise in directing emergency
patient care at a distance using telecommunications and telemedicine to handle complex emergency cases. Johns Hopkins
International will also provide SOS with second opinion consultations and access to their emergency protocols.
International SOS provides its clients with aero-medical evacuation and emergency assistance services worldwide 24 hours
a day, 365 days a year. SOS sees the new relationship as an important step forward in ensuring the highest quality
medical management for its clients, particularly in cases involving immediate medical assessment of patients in an
in-flight medical emergency or located in remote sites. "Through our aviation program we are taking calls from
aircraft that have a medical emergency on board and need to know quickly if they may have to divert," explains Dr.
Myles Druckman, International SOS Vice President Medical Assistance, Philadelphia. "Now, we will be able to connect
the aircraft and our Philadelphia Alarm Center with the Johns Hopkins' specialist by telephone, or via telemedicine
link if the aircraft has the equipment." From the SOS Philadelphia Alarm Center, information can be routed in
real-time to any of the 25 other SOS Alarm Centers around the world including key locations in London, Singapore,
Johannesburg, Beijing, Sydney and Tokyo. This brings Johns Hopkins' medical expertise and quality control to SOS
members in need of immediate assistance and possibly emergency evacuation. "It is our goal to find innovative ways
in which international patients, physicians and institutions can benefit from the excellence of Johns Hopkins
Medicine," explains Steve Thompson, CEO of Johns Hopkins International. According to Jim Williams, International
SOS COO, Philadelphia, this new opportunity "will enhance the medical management services SOS offers to the
aviation industry, insurance companies and other organizations, as well as to our clients at remote site
locations." SOS manages the medical services at over 160 remote site clinics, including China's Xingjiang
western province, Irian Jaya in Indonesia, offshore Sakhalin on Russia's Pacific coastline and in central Africa.
Besides emergency in-flight assistance, the agreement calls for the use of Johns Hopkins International expertise to
provide quality assurance for the 21 SOS International Clinics operated exclusively for SOS members in locations around
the globe such as Moscow, Beijing, Jakarta, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. SOS will also have access to Johns Hopkins
educational programs, helping enable SOS doctors and clinicians worldwide to keep abreast of the latest medical
advancements through their interactive GlobalAccess Video-Lectures by Johns Hopkins physicians. About International SOS
International SOS (www.internationalsos.com ) is the world's largest medical and security assistance company, as
well as the leading provider of remote medical services. It has a full time staff of 2,600 professionals including 250
physicians operating in 26 Alarm Centers and 21 International Clinics around the world, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
SOS clients include the majority of Fortune 500 companies as well as leading insurance companies, credit card programs,
specialty travel programs, aviation companies, universities, government agencies and NGO's. About Johns Hopkins
International and Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Johns Hopkins International (www.jhintl.net ) works with
international patients, physicians and institutions to bring the best of Johns Hopkins Medicine in research, education,
training and clinical services to the world community. Johns Hopkins is the largest recipient of biomedical research
grants from the National Institutes of Health. The Johns Hopkins Department of Emergency Medicine, a Level I Adult
Trauma Center, currently sees more than 50,000 acute visits per year. Johns Hopkins was one of the pioneers of emergency
medicine, with Hopkins researchers developing the cardiopulmonary resuscitation technique in 1961 and championing its
use by medical personnel and paramedical personnel on ambulance teams.
[CAIW [Corporate Announcements Intelligence Wire]] |
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