Fact Sheets
CORPORATE TRAVEL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS
Who?
In an increasingly litigious society the need for employers to adequately protect employees while working and travelling overseas takes on greater significance. One cost-effective, simple way companies can help protect their travelling employees is to arrange pre and post travel medical assessments.
HSA recommends pre and post travel health Assessments for individuals, and accompanying family members posted overseas for longer than six months. Annual travel health assessments are recommended for employees whose work requires them to travel overseas on a regular basis.
Why?
The aim of health assessments prior to overseas work is to:
- identify risks from emerging diseases and to identify underlying concerns;
- establish fitness to perform the required duties;
- establish fitness to travel;
- avoidance of high medical and hospital expenses whilst abroad; and
- prevent the expense and inconvenience involved in medical evacuation or the premature termination of the stay because of illness.
Pre-travel assessments may also assist any claims process for reimbursement of excess medical expenses incurred overseas by the employee or family member. Post-travel assessments identify if any medical problems were encountered overseas. This serves to diagnose any health problems, identify potential risk for future postings, as well as acting as a baseline for future claims.
Pre-travel Assessments involve:
- a thorough medical examination;
- blood tests, chest x-rays , Mantoux etc. as clinically indicated;
- information and advice on immunisation and travel medicine - if required vaccinations would be updated at this visit;
- general travel health information and advice;
- if the traveller was aware of their destination, specific information (eg. malaria, diarrhoea medications) and advice tailored to their itinerary would be provided; and
- a referral letter to their GP or specialist for any treatment or follow-up would be provided if necessary.
Post-travel Assessments
Post travel assessments are tailored to the individual and affected by the country or countries visited. Assessments involve a thorough medical examination and medical history, but, depending on where they lived could also include Mantoux, Malaria advice, investigation of any gastrointestinal symptoms etc. A referral letter to their GP or specialist for any treatment or follow-up would be provided if necessary.
