As coronavirus crosses borders and oceans, Global Rescue’s TotalCareSM membership has quickly become the best option for travelers, even if they are temporarily benched by social distancing and self-quarantines.

Why? It provides direct access to urgent care consultations with board-certified, licensed physicians.

Here are five reasons why a TotalCare membership is the best telehealth option for travelers — from work, from home, on the road, abroad or on an average day or during a pandemic.

[Related reading: TotalCare the Complete Telehealth Solution]

Speak to a Person

When you call Global Rescue for a TotalCare consultation, the call is answered by Global Rescue’s in-house operations team. From there, medical experts collect basic information, including a medical history before setting up a real-time video consultation with a board-certified, licensed doctor from Elite Medical Group (EMG).

TotalCare members can activate an urgent care consult three ways: the My Global Rescue Mobile App, on the phone or on the web. 

The Same Care Team

Some telehealth companies are set up as a giant network of doctors. They may or may not work together, or even know each other. TotalCare members always speak to an EMG physician.

EMG doctors are part of the same practice, which ensures continuity of care. EMG also works closely with Global Rescue’s operations team, in the event advisory services are needed.

“Because we function as a practice, our team can more efficiently address a variety of needs for our members. We follow up on every encounter to be sure people are recovering, or assessing any new needs or asks,” said Dr. Claudia Zegans, medical director at Elite Medical Group. “This leverages the power of our medical operations team and provides continuous care for the member. We have done this many, many times and it works.”

Global Experience

Most U.S.-based telehealth companies do not have experience with the complexities of health care while traveling.

“Other telemedicine services might be able to connect patients around the world with doctors, but how are the recommendations implemented? How does a teledoctor in Texas know which hospital in Rwanda to recommend to the patient?” Zegans said.

TotalCare’s members have direct access to physicians well versed in travel health consultations — and the experience and expertise of Global Rescue, with an operations team that manages medical and security cases all around the world. It’s a unique combination that gives travelers the edge when looking for access to care while away from home.

Shorter Wait Time

There’s a shortage of doctors and in the bigger cities, like Boston, Massachusetts, where you’ll wait an average of 29 days to see a primary care doctor, according to physician recruiting firm Merritt Hawkins.

Once a member initiates a TotalCare consult, they will be connected with a physician within 30 minutes.

It’s a great time-saver for a stay-at-home mom, a student away at school, a family on vacation, or a business with remote employees — and gets everyone one step closer to healthy that much faster.

Pandemic Care

With a TotalCare membership, you have immediate access to a doctor — even during a coronavirus pandemic.

“Coronavirus is highly infectious,” said Scott Hume, vice president of operations at Global Rescue. “All travelers should consider acquiring services that provide access to video consultations with physicians to avoid coming into contact with those infected in hospitals.”

Calling from the safety and security of your home can reduce the likelihood of infection. In fact, the CDC advised Americans to make arrangements for telehealth so they can receive medical information even if they are unable to physically travel to a doctor. And telehealth may be your only option in the event of a mandatory quarantine.

“I would prefer a doctor in person but, by the very nature of a quarantine, receiving medical attention or prescriptions remotely by phone or Internet would be the sensible thing to do,” said one Global Rescue member.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” said TotalCare member Mark Horton of Texas. “I don’t want to not have that option if/when my circumstances dictate that I really need it.”

Whether you’re at home, work or traveling, immediate access to telehealth services through a Global Rescue TotalCare membership is one important way travelers — and non-travelers — can get peace of mind.