Medical Emergency

Management for Organizations

Learn how your organization and country-level management teams
can plan, prepare, and respond to medical emergencies in the
workplace.

Note to Learners
The information in this guide is for educational
purposes only; it is not intended to be a substitute
for professional advice, whether medical, legal,
or otherwise. Any reliance you place on such
information is therefore at your own risk and AHT
Insurance will have no responsibility or liability
under any circumstances.

Preparing Organizations Managing Medical

and Employees for Medical Emergencies
Emergencies
Relief and development organizations have different
plans and procedures for managing medical
emergencies involving employees who are traveling
and working in different locations. Many employees
working for international relief and development
organizations often find themselves in unfamiliar
environments which may pose increased risks
and threats to their health, safety, and wellbeing,
particularly in areas with limited healthcare
infrastructure and medical services.

Effective emergency response requires

organizations to have both resources and plans.
A plan outlines a step by step procedure for
managing an incident that includes accessing critical
resources, such as a medical assistance provider, to
keep employees safe. Resources provide medical or
other subject matter expertise.
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The Role of Management in Medical Emergencies
Management teams at headquarters and at country-level may have different roles and responsibilities
during a medical emergency situation.

Role of Organizational Management

• Build a framework for risk awareness, mitigation, and incident management by establishing policies,
plans, and procedures.

• Establish and ensure that employees understand how to engage key support resources, including
medical assistance companies and insurance as well as incident and crisis management teams.

• Provide guidance and support during a medical emergency to ensure resources are effectively
engaged and that employees, families, and other key stakeholders are appropriately informed and
supported.

Role of Country-Level Management Teams

• Build the local level framework for managing a medical emergency.

• Ensure plans are in place and understood by team members.

• Identify local medical facilities in advance and ensure that team members know their location and
how to access care in an emergency.

• Coordinate with Headquarters to effectively engage global resources as necessary.

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Informing Employees of Health and Medical Risks
Identifying health and medical risks is an essential part of organization’s duty of care obligation; their
responsibility to protect their employees from foreseeable risks and threats when working. Health and
medical risks can vary depending on location, the local context, and the individual’s actions and profile.
An employee staying a few days in the regional office in the capital city will be exposed to different risks
than someone traveling overland to rural parts of the country.

Organizations do not have to be experts on health and medical risks across the globe, but they should
provide their employees access to resources at the global and local level to inform them of potential
health risks, how to reduce exposure to risks, and how to manage an incident should it occur.

Injury
• Road accident
• Tripping or falling
• Physical attack or abuse
• Sexual violence or rape
• Conflict-related (firearms, explosion)

Illness
Illness encountered in the operating environment:
• Dengue fever
• Malaria
• Contagious diseases (influenza, pneumonia, tuberculosis)
• Food- or water-borne illness (cholera, typhoid, travelers’ diarrhea, etc.)

Personal Health Conditions

Health conditions that may be heightened because of the working
environment or conditions:
• High blood pressure or heart problems
• Diabetes
• Asthma
• Pregnancy

Mental and Behavioral Health Issues

• Anxiety and stress
• Depression
• Panic attacks
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

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 Resources for Medical
Emergencies

Resources for Managing Medical Emergencies

Medical assistance firms, insurance providers, staff care support companies, local medical facilities,
and other external providers are critical resources for organizations operating globally. These resources
provide critical subject matter expertise to support managing urgent and emergency medical care
for employees. It is essential that organizational management have external and internal resources
in place before an emergency occurs and that employees understand how to access and use these
critical resources.

Medical assistance company: provides support and information on medical risks in a location,
identifies vetted medical facilities, issues guarantees of payment, evaluates appropriateness
of care, and coordinates transportation and evacuation.

Insurance: pays the cost of medical care including transportation and evacuation where
medically necessary. Insurance policies vary depending upon location and situation, including
business travel accident, foreign voluntary workers compensation, and out of country medical
and health insurance at the global or local level.

Travel medical clinic(s): provide pre-trip guidance on medical risks and how to manage them
based on the traveler’s personal health conditions.

Supplies: first aid kits, automated external defibrillator (AED), and other medical supplies for
offices, vehicles, and personnel.

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 Governments or multilateral agencies: government agencies, such as the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office (FCO) or the US State Department, provide general information on
health and medical risks for travelers. More specialized public health organizations, such
as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization
(WHO), provide information on country and regional health issues, endemic diseases, and
healthcare infrastructure.

Incident Management Team (IMT): this country-level team directs the local response to a
medical emergency. This may include coordinating with medical facilities and assistance
providers as well as reporting to headquarters.

Crisis Management Team: this team at headquarters (HQ) supports medical emergency
response as “first responders.” This includes coordinating with the country office Incident
Management team and/or the injured or ill employee, the medical assistance company, the
employee’s family members, and other parties involved. While medical emergencies may
not rise to the level of an organizational crisis, some configuration of this team typically
coordinates HQ support and response.

Subject matter experts: various teams at headquarters may provide specific support in
response to a medical emergency including security, operations, human resources, and
finance.

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 Medical Emergency
Response Plan

Medical Emergency Response Plan for Organizations

During a medical emergency “first responders” at Headquarters (HQ) and in-country incident
management teams follow organizational plans, procedures and resources to ensure that ill or injured
employees receive timely and appropriate medical care, and that their families and other stakeholders
are informed and supported. The response plan describes a step by step procedure for managing an
incident to keep employees safe. Support starts with the initial report of an incident or emergency
which may come from the ill or injured individual, a colleague, the in-country incident management
team, a medical assistance company, or other source.

Step 1: Make Initial Report to HQ Emergency Point of Contact

“First Responder”
The ill or injured person, in-country incident management team, or
other source reports information to HQ including the following:
• What happened
• Who was involved
• Where
• When
• Current location & actions being taken
• Assistance provider case number (if appropriate)

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 Step 2: Open a case with the medical assistance provider (if
applicable)
Open a case with your medical assistance provider if applicable
and if it has not been done already. Provide the provider with the
following information:
• Name and passport information of patient
• Contact information of patient or the person from the
organization/partner coordinating care
• Description of injury or illness including when and where it
occurred
• Name of the facility, treating physician, and contact information

Step 3: Alert Crisis Management Team (or appropriate Senior

Management)
• Provide incident report details and actions being taken.
• Develop action plan based on situation and established plans/
procedures.
• Obtain ongoing updates from ill or injured person, in-country
incident management team, and/or assistance provider.
• Coordinate with medical assistance provider as necessary. Note:
For privacy reasons, details of medical conditions may not be
shared by assistance providers without permission from ill/
injured person. Confirm assistance provider policies in advance
and notify employees and travelers.
• Engage internal resource support:
• Human Resources: Personnel data, family communication,
insurance coordination
• Finance: Confirm payment guarantees as needed
• Identify and engage key stakeholders as necessary (family,
other colleagues, etc.)

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 Step 4: Monitor and Manage Everyone Involved
• Coordinate with ill or injured employee, in-country incident
management team and assistance provider.
• Inform and provide support to the ill or injured employee’s
immediate family.
• Provide updates to senior management, employees and other
stakeholders.

Step 5: Conduct After Action Review

• Identify lessons learned, such as what went well and what needs
improvement for future situations.
• Update organizational plans, procedures, and resources for
managing medical emergencies.

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