Most Travelers Are Unprepared When a Medical Emergency Strikes
Susan Cross, who survived a life-threatening medical problem in the Caribbean, explains how to assemble a Medical Travel Portfolio before leaving home
TOLEDO, Ohio, Feb. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Spring break is the start of the travel season. But while most of us spend a lot of time deciding what to pack and what to see, few are prepared if they should suffer a medical emergency.
Susan Cross left the country believing she was healthy. During her Caribbean vacation, she hiked and snorkeled. But days before she was to fly home her appendix burst and she nearly died. She and her husband had to scramble to coordinate her treatment. Cross learned the hard way that a passport is not the only travel document required for international trips. Now she is making it her mission to help other travelers to create their own Medical Travel Portfolio.
The author of Power of Disruption: A Memoir of Discovery, the story in which she documents her Caribbean experience, Cross says a Medical Travel Portfolio should contain both a Medical Biography and Medical Contact Sheet. The bio includes a copy of your itinerary, health insurance card and relevant phone numbers, your basic medical history, and a list of current medications and immunizations. The Medical Contact Sheet is composed of your emergency contacts such as family members, friends and business colleagues, contact information for all your medical providers and an explanation of the role they play in your care, and information on how to reach your insurance provider's customer service representatives.
Cross is a media veteran; as a PR person for corporate America and a crisis communications specialist, she has been featured on NPR, HGTV and in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. In an interview, she can answer such questions as:
- What are the three things you should always share with your traveling companion?
- What little-known section of your health-care policy should you check before your trip?
- What should you know about accessing emergency services in a foreign country?
- How can the American embassy help you in extreme emergencies?
- What was so scary about her health-care experience in the Caribbean?
Praise for The Power of Disruption
"The Power of Disruption is a vulnerable journey about letting go of the familiar. Immerse yourself into a world of hope. It's yours to discover." – Richard Campbell, co-author of Writing Your Legacy: The Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Your Life Story
"Sometimes the universe smacks us in the face to get our attention. This is one of those stories; raw, real, terrifying, immensely inspiring and ultimately life-changing. In these amazing pages of truth, adventure, tragedy and evolution we're encouraged to believe in ourselves enough to go for our own joy." -- Laura Di Franco, MPT, author of Brave Healing: A Guide for Your Journey
The personal lessons coming out of every chapter will equip you with the awareness, the courage and the wisdom required to survive disruption and keep thriving in life. -- Tony J. Selimi, Five-Time #1 Amazon Bestselling Author of A Path to Wisdom and the Co-creator of Multi-award Winning Living My Illusion documentary series
About the Author
Susan Cross has more than 25 years' experience as a corporate spokesperson, author, writer, and public relations professional working in trade and consumer print, television, radio, and digital media. The Power of Disruption is her first book. She is currently working on an anthology of disruption stories profiling people and organizations moving from status quo to new thinking.
Contact: Susan Cross, (419) 913-9943; [email protected], www.susan-cross.com
SOURCE Susan Cross
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