Ref- CI Nº101 DOV 21-NOV-2017 De: Flight Ops Director Para: PN 101_DOV_2017.pdf · Support guarantees medical payments which can greatly expedite your care and minimize administrative

Ref- CI Nº101 DOV 21-NOV-2017 De: Flight Ops Director Para: PN

Assunto: Novo sistema de assistência médica Caros Tripulantes,

Tivemos no passado alguns casos de doença em Escala, cuja resposta do sistema de proteção médica em vigor se revelou insuficiente. Na sequência deste histórico, tomou-se a iniciativa de procurar uma solução melhor adaptada às necessidades dos Tripulantes. A TAP dispõe agora de um novo sistema de assistência médica no exterior para Tripulantes que se desloquem em serviço. A empresa escolhida é a MedAire, Inc. com sede em Phoenix, USA.

O novo sistema está em vigor desde 20 de Novembro de 2017 e funcionará em paralelo com atual durante um período de transição, a comunicar oportunamente.

Disponibilizamos em anexo o MedAire’s Crew Support Service Handbook e o Crew Support Membership Card.

Pede-se a todos os Tripulantes que se familiarizem o mais rapidamente possível com os procedimentos descritos no respetivo guia e que, a partir desta data, tenham sempre presente e acessível o nº de contacto +1 480 379 1930

Para além da ocorrência catalogada em FR com o Cod 3B, é importante sempre que possível uma descrição qualitativa do serviço prestado, que poderá ser feita via Flight Report, Cabin Report ou e-mail: [email protected]

Muito obrigado,

Cte Luis Esteves

Director Flight Ops 21 NOV 2017

mailto:[email protected]

In-Flight: Communicating with MedAire’s MedLink

1.1.

MedAire’s Crew Support Service Handbook

► EXPERT CARE. EVERYWHERE. www.medaire.com

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................... 3

PROBABILITY INDEX ........................................................................................................................................................ 4

CREW RESOURCES ........................................................................................................................................................... 5

Frequently Asked Questions ................................................................................................................................................... 6

Hotel Letter ........................................................................................................................................................................... 11

BROCHURE: Welcome to Your Crew Support Benefit ........................................................................................................... 12

TAP Portugal

http://www.medaire.com/


Since 1987, MedAire’s MedLink has been a one-stop medical solution for commercial airlines — from

regional and commuter carriers to some of the largest airlines in the world.

MedAire Crew Support links crewmembers to medical professionals, multilingual coordinators and logistics personnel for virtual any type of medical or travel advice needed when away from home.

When crewmembers fall ill or are injured on duty and away from home, they do not have access to the customary care they are used to such as their family physician. They often feel uncomfortable seeking care at unfamiliar medical facilities, or they may not know how to find appropriate care. With MedAire’s Crew Support those concerns are alleviated, as crewmembers on duty travel have 24/7 access to advice from our doctors and registered nurses in MedAire’s Global Response Centers. Crew have added peace of mind knowing they have access to a network of providers that are well known and appropriate for their needs while minimizing the risk of escalated emergencies and missing shifts.

MedAire Crew Support is committed to providing quality medical assistance to airlines crew members who may become ill or injured. In addition, we recognize that a crew member is critical to a successful airline operation. To minimize operational disruptions, our medical teams work diligently to continually assess each case and communicate crew status with the airline’s operational teams.

Introduction to MedAire’s Crew Support



The Crew Support notification system is designed to provide information, within the restrictions of medical privacy regulations, in a timeframe that allows the carrier’s crew scheduling to make necessary operational decisions. The first communication airline crew scheduling will receive from MedAire Crew Support will be issued via voice and email. Among other things, these notifications will include an indication of the crew member’s probability to be fit to operate his or her scheduled flight. The probability will be expressed in terms of ‘low, medium, or high,’ and is based our Coordinating Nurse’s initial assessment of the crew member's chief complaint prior to their seeing a doctor for final disposition.

The probability indicator was developed after analyzing thousands crew member cases and developing an outcome-based acuity index. The acuity index serves as a guide for MedAire’s Coordinating Nurses in the Global Response Center in determining the probability to operate as scheduled. This probability model is based on a combination of factors, including the time remaining until the crew member is scheduled to operate [see chart sample] and the severity of the symptoms described. Of course, this tool is only a prediction based on the initial conversation with the crew member and is subject to change once medical attention has been rendered. In some cases, it is immediately clear that a crew member will not be fit to operate. When that happens, the airline will be told outright that the crew member will be off the schedule.

Below is an excerpt of MedAire’s fitness-to-operate probability indicator:

Medical Concern # Hours until crew member is due to operate

0-6 6-12 12-24 24-36 36-48

Abdominal pain, mild - office visit L L M H H

Abdominal pain, severe - hospital visit L L L M H

Allergic reaction L L M H H

Back or neck pain or injury L L M H H

Blocked ears L L L M H

Crew Support Fit-to-Operate Probability Index


Crew Support Fit-to-Operate Probability Index


Crew Resources



Overview During your duty travel you now have a single-call solution should you become ill, injured, or have concerns about your personal safety. When you need help simply call MedAire Crew Support services.

MedAire’s Crew Support program gives you immediate 24/7 access to a team of nurses, doctors, communication specialists, and security experts. They will help you with your medical or security concern and monitor your situation until you are feeling better – or are safely back home.

By proactively contacting MedAire’s Crew Support at the first signs of feeling unwell MedAire medical team can help crew members avoid or minimize health situations that could potentially escalate rapidly preventing fitness-to-operate.

The assessment is quick and easy, and starts with a phone call.

MedAire’s dedicated medical team will assess symptoms and make recommendations. This could include referrals to a doctor or clinic.

Recommendations on whether a crew member is fit for travel are based on MedAire’s Medical Guidelines for Air Travel in conjunction with TAP’s protocols. This method provides a consistent experience for all crew.

Crew Support Frequently Asked Questions

How does it work?

Crew contacts MedAire’s Crew

Support Program

MedAire medical team will evaluate

the medical situation.

MedAire will make medical

recommendation, provide referals, and coordinate assistance

as needed.

MedAire medical team will follow up with Crew to ensure

they are feeling better.



Contacting Crew Support

How do I reach Crew Support? You can reach MedAire’s Crew Support by calling the phone number provided on your Crew Support Membership card. If you do not have your card please contact your plan administrator to obtain one. +1 480 379 1930

Are there any special prefixes required when dialing? MedAire’s Crew Support Response Center is located in the United States. Calls from any country other than the U.S. will require an international access code that is unique to the country you are in. Additional line access procedures may be required depending on where you are calling from – such as your hotel. If you have difficulty dialing, you may call the hotel desk for assistance or dial the operator.

When may I call Crew Support for help? If you feel ill, have been injured, or feel your safety may be at risk you should call Crew Support. We recommend that you call us when you first suspect you may require our assistance. Calling us early could prevent your situation from escalating. The Crew Support team can give you tips to relieve minor discomfort and illness and make arrangements for medical care in more serious cases. You may also call for assistance with dental emergencies.

Call MedAire before going to a medical provider, whenever possible. Life and death emergencies are the exception, of course. Calling us first will help us ensure that the crew member is referred to a provider appropriate to his or her issue and one who accepts our guarantee of payment (GOP) by prior arrangement.

Who will answer my call? Your call will be answered by a communication specialist at MedAire’s Crew Support Global Response Center. They will ask you for your name, location, employee number and chief complaint. If you are calling for medical assistance a nurse or medical doctor will then join your call to ask questions, provide medical guidance and, if needed, help you secure a visit to an appropriate doctor or medical facility.

How long should I expect to wait for a doctor to see me? During office hours: An appointment will be made when possible. If no appointments are available, there may be a wait of several hours as the doctor works you into their schedule.

After office hours: Whether at the hotel or at a doctor’s office, it may take up to six hours to make arrangements with the doctor.

Hospital emergency room visits: You will be received according to the hospital protocols; generally, this means priority based on the nature of your illness or injury. Emergency room visits often require several hours of waiting time.

How far should I expect to travel to be seen by a doctor? MedAire has a large network of Crew Support medical professionals and makes every attempt to consider travel time when planning your care. However, the most appropriate facility for your specific need is not always the closest facility.

Will a doctor come to the hotel? Depending on your location and the nature of your medical concern, a doctor may be available to come to your hotel. This may take longer than an office visit due to travel time and working around the doctor’s office schedule.



Why can’t I just call the concierge for medical help? A call to Crew Support begins a chain of events designed to maximize your care and convenience. By calling Crew Support you are receiving help from medical professionals. They understand your condition and use that knowledge to ensure you are receiving care from the most appropriate local medical professionals or facilities Plus, they monitor your care in the event your status changes, you have questions, and/or want a second opinion. In addition to overseeing all of your arrangements and communicating with your company’s operations department for you, Crew Support guarantees medical payments which can greatly expedite your care and minimize administrative hassles and inconveniences.

Is it acceptable to call the local doctor directly and notify Crew Support after the fact? Your first call should be to Crew Support. When you’re not feeling your best, the last thing we want you to worry about is the details. By calling Crew Support first, you can focus on getting better and Crew Support can focus on getting you the assistance you need.

What if I’m rushed to emergency care before I’m able to contact Crew Support? MedAire has a database of more than 58,000 medical providers worldwide. There is a team dedicated to maintaining and growing our global assistance network. One aspect of the team’s work is to pre-establish protocols for those providers who are vetted to accept MedAire’s GOP. MedAire works closely to understand the locations frequented by airline crew members to ensure that we have identified and vetted providers who will accept our GOP. When there situations that require MedAire to coordinate with a medical provider who isn’t part of the vetted network, we make every effort to establish an agreement on the spot for acceptance of a GOP. Sometimes, if a provider will not accept a GOP, MedAire activates other means of getting the provider paid. For example, we might make a payment by credit card or, where we have local employees in some 70 countries, we may be able to have a local representative proffer the payment. In addition, sometimes we are able to coordinate a payment through the crew member’s hotel. MedAire will exhaust every resource to make a payment on the crew member’s behalf.

Paying the Bills

Who will pay for the call to Crew Support? You will pay for the telephone charges, if any, and submit the expense for reimbursement.

Who will pay for transportation to/from the hospital or doctor’s office? Unless Crew Support arranges for emergency transportation, such as an ambulance, you should pay for the transportation and submit the expense for reimbursement.

Who will pay for the medical bill? If a doctor or hospital visit is necessary, Crew Support will pre-arrange guaranteed payment of services prior to your visit and will pay any and all resulting medical bills. When completing any medical forms, provide the MedAire billing address, email and Fax numbers as your own so that any requests for payment come to MedAire and not the crew member.

What if the medical facility requests that I pay for treatment? Occasionally, payment information doesn’t reach all areas of a hospital quickly enough to avoid having the hospital ask you, in error, to pay. Do not pay a provider before speaking to MedAire. Call Crew Support right away if a medical facility asks you for payment, a credit card, or your personal address for invoicing.




If the crew member arrives before the business office advises the operational unit, they may not be aware that a payment has already been guaranteed. ANY TIME a provider asks a crew member for money, the next step should be to call MedAire for further instructions.

If the provider says that the GOP only covered a certain amount and they need additional funds, DO NOT PAY. Tell them to contact MedAire to discuss the additional treatment and funds required. If the medical facility requests an address for invoicing, either call Crew Support or provide them with the Claims address:

Claims Department MedAire, Inc. 4722 North 24th Street, Suite 450 Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA

If I need medicine, do I have to pay for it up front? Crew Support will pay for medications prescribed and directly provided by the Crew Support physician. If you have forgotten your regular medication, call Crew Support and they will authorize enough medication for you to get home. You may request a pharmacy to call Crew Support for authorized payment, but they may require to you to self-pay. If this happens, or if Crew Support recommends over-the-counter medications, you will need to pay and then submit the expense for reimbursement.

Staying in Touch With

How will my employer be advised of my status? Crew Support will make initial and follow-up notifications to your employer of your status including whether or not you will be fit to fly, if applicable.

Who will determine whether I’m fit to fly? Crew Support will consult with the medical professionals on site to determine when you are fit to fly or fit to passenger home.

Is my medical information confidential? The details of your medical diagnosis and treatment are regarded with the utmost respect and confidentiality, handled accordingly and shared only with your employer on a need-to-know basis. In theses cases, any clinical details may be discussed between Medaire and TAP medical services healthcare professionals only for the exclusive purposes of continuity of medical care.

When You Get Home

What if I need further care? Crew Support or the treating medical facility may recommend that you visit your personal doctor and/or TAP healthcare services for further care on your return home. This should be arranged as you would any regular doctor’s visit. Crew Support or the treating medical facility may provide you with information to pass on to your personal doctor on the care you have received while you have been away from home.

What if I receive a bill? Occasionally, systems at medical facilities are set up to automatically issue an invoice to the home address of the




person who received medical treatment. If you receive an invoice for treatment you received while under the care of Crew Support, you do not have to pay this bill but we request that you pass it on immediately, either by sending to your crew representative at +1 480 379 1930 to forward on to Crew Support, or by faxing directly to Crew Support on +1 480 333 3821.




13 November 2017

Dear ,

Effective 13 November 2017, TAP Portugal has engaged MedAire, Inc. to manage the medical needs, including

coordinating local case management when necessary, of crew members on layover at (insert hotel name here). The

crews have received instructions on how to proceed in the event they are ill or injured and require medical assistance.

Specifically, they are to consult with MedAire before seeking local treatment, except in the cases of life-threatening

emergencies.

We would appreciate your assistance in supporting this important program. If a crew member contacts the hotel for

assistance, please remind them that they need to contact MedAire first. MedAire can be contacted at the following

number: +1 480 379 1930

Crew members may still require your assistance with arranging transportation to and/or from a medical facility and we

appreciate your continued support in this area.

Regards,

MedAire, Inc.

An International SOS Company

4722 North 24th St.

Suite 450

Phoenix, AZ 85016 USA

www.medaire.com



MedAire’s Crew Support program gives you immediate 24/7 access to a team of nurses, doctors, and communication specialists. They will help you with your medical concern and monitor your situation until you are feeling better – or are safely back home. Our database of more than 78,000 medical providers worldwide is at your disposal should you become ill or injured while on duty travel. All you need to do is call your dedicated Crew Support line at

Your Crew Support benefit includes the following medical assistance: • Routine and Emergency medical advice • Medical referral including appointment arrangement & guarantee of payment • Dental referral including appointment arrangement & guarantee of payment • Lost document advice and assistance • Emergency translation and interpretation assistance

Our medical providers are vetted and accept our guarantee of payment in each location where crews stay overnight. When there are situations that require MedAire to coordinate with a medical provider who isn’t part of the vetted network, we make every effort to establish an agreement on the spot for acceptance of a guarantee of payment.

You can help MedAire by following a few simple recommendations: Call MedAire before going to a medical provider whenever possible. Life and death emergencies are the exception.

Calling us first ensures that you are referred to the appropriate provider and one who accepts our guarantee of payment.

Do not pay a provider before speaking to MedAire. Sometimes, MedAire must make the payment arrangements with the business office of the medical facility and the operational unit may not be aware that a payment has already been guaranteed.

When completing any medical forms, provide the MedAire billing address, email and fax numbers as your own so that any requests for payment come to MedAire.

If the provider says that the guarantee of payment only covered a certain amount and they need additional funds, DO NOT PAY. Instruct them to contact MedAire.

ANY TIME a provider asks for money, the next step should be to call MedAire for further instructions.

Welcome to Your Crew Support Benefit



24/7 GLOBAL ASSISTANCE

EXPERT CARE, EVERYWHERE.

Call our medical and travel safety experts 24/7. Call early. Call often.

For medical assistance while travelling on duty, away

from your home base, contact MedAire’s Crew

Support. who will provide advice, arrange consultation

and make financial arrangements if required.

CALL +1 480 379 1930

Documents

Ref- CI Nº101 DOV 21-NOV-2017 De: Flight Ops Director Para: PN 101_DOV_2017.pdf · Support guarantees medical payments which can greatly expedite your care and minimize administrative