Eugene Delaune, medical director at SentinelMED, served as a featured panelist at the US Travel Insurance Association’s annual conference this fall.
Delaune shared his insights about the effects of COVID-19 on hospitals and the travel industry, including how the pandemic has affected medical transport and assistance. Together with another industry expert, Delaune discussed the hurdles created for the medical transport and travel industries by COVID-19, lessons learned, and collaborations that have arisen between industries to help protect travelers and teams.
Photos courtesy of US Travel Insurance Association
Delaune also shared his thoughts on what hospitals, medical transport and travel assistance companies got right – and wrong – during the early days of the pandemic, and provided a few insights on how all these experiences could lead to better services for travelers in the future.
“Actions taken out of necessity during the pandemic have revealed how working together can create efficiencies, and most importantly, enhance the quality and immediacy of patient care,” Delaune said. “It was an honor to be asked to share my insights with colleagues and attendees of the conference.”
At SentinelMED, Delaune leads a team of doctors and physician assistants who manage travel assistance cases for several insurance and travel assistance clients. In this role, he is actively involved in the planning and execution of the aeromedical transportation of hundreds of patients each year.
Delaune also is a practicing emergency physician. He is licensed to practice medicine in 14 states to fill last minute gaps in ER schedules and help staff distressed emergency departments.
The US Travel Insurance Association is a national association of insurance carriers, third-party administrators, insurance agencies and related businesses involved in the development, administration and marketing of travel insurance and travel assistance products.
About SentinelMED
SentinelMED coordinates medical transport, medical evacuation and medical escort services to people who need assistance to travel long distances. In many cases, people who are sick or injured can travel on commercial flights with care provided by a medical escort – a cost-effective alternative to air ambulance services.
Our team also works closely with travel insurance companies, hospital case managers and families to provide safe and comfortable door-to-door transportation for individuals requiring medical evacuation or repatriation in the event of illness or a natural disaster.
At SentinelMED, we understand the complexity of delivering exceptional care to patients who need assistance during travel. Please contact us to learn more about the services that SentinelMED offers or its staff.
