International SOS first company to be certified in delivery of TeleHealth Services

International SOS sets benchmark for quality, customer experience, and medical excellence

International SOS is the first organisation in the world to be certified in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) newly published Guidelines for the delivery of telehealth service. The certificate was awarded by BSI (British Standards Institution), the business standards company and a founding member of ISO.

International SOS provides medical and travel security services. Their telehealth services platform provides medical information, advice, and referrals 24/7/365 to clients travelling or working abroad.

Maureen Sumner Smith, Managing Director at BSI UK, said:

“Telehealth services have become popular amongst organisations as employers look to reduce costs and improve productivity whilst delivering an enhanced quality of care. As a result, the number of companies trying to enter the telehealth space has increased dramatically. The guidelines for the delivery of telehealth services are there to ensure providers deliver consistent, quality remote medical assistance and have policies in place to safeguard a client’s private data.”

Neil Nerwich, Group Medical Director of Assistance at International SOS, said:

“Our business is providing medical advice and travel security assistance for millions of people around the world. Therefore, it is vital that we employ strict processes to ensure quality in the delivery of telehealth services. We invest heavily in quality programmes and this certification recognises our industry leadership in developing and deploying user-friendly technological solutions and the high standard for medical services across our platform.”

Organisations are advised to consider the following items when evaluating a telehealth service provider:

• Are the medical professionals trained in remote medicine?
• Is the provider legally and logistically capable of delivering medical advice and assistance across-borders?
• Is patient information securely stored and transmitted?
• Does the telehealth service have a global network of vetted providers should an in-person medical consult or specialist referral be required?
• Does the provider meet international standards for quality management and clinical governance?

Pietro Foschi, Director, Strategic Delivery, Group Systems Certification & Training at BSI commented:

“By achieving certification of compliance to ISO/TS 13131, International SOS has demonstrated that it has adopted best practice for its telehealth services, a requirement for delivering safe healthcare from a distance.”

International SOS has provided remote medical services since 1985. In addition to certification in accordance to the guidelines provided in ISO/TS 13131, International SOS has achieved global certification to ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Systems for its Assistance Centres, International SOS Clinics and Medical Services.

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