LEXINGTON, Ky., Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- If trouble strikes when you travel, will your medical records be available?
That’s the key question that travel agents who belong to the Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA) will begin asking clients, as ARTA launches an ongoing campaign benefiting the MedicAlert Foundation, one of the world’s largest nonprofit groups charged with protecting and saving lives.
ARTA agents will promote MedicAlert membership -- which safeguards travelers by storing their personal medical data so that emergency medical personnel can access those records in the case of serious illness or injury on the road -- via special four-color ticket stuffers, agency displays, Web site links, and other methods.
“After 9/11, safety on the road has become a primary concern for many agents’ customers,” said Sally Watkins, CTC, ARTA’s vice chairman and an agent with Century Travel, Austin, Texas. “MedicAlert gives consumers complete peace of mind when they travel because they know their critical medical data will be available to doctors and hospitals anywhere in the world if trouble arises during their trip.”
“We applaud John Hawks of ARTA who was instrumental in this collaborative effort,” said Ramesh Srinivasan, VP of Marketing at MedicAlert. “Our services will provide the peace of mind to ARTA travelers -- so they have one less thing to worry about when traveling.”
Along with its member agencies, ARTA will encourage cruise lines, tour operators, and other travel suppliers to support the MedicAlert membership drive as well. “Everyone wins with this approach,” Watkins noted. “More travelers will feel comfortable on their next business trips and vacations -- and they’ll be very grateful to the ARTA agents and suppliers who’ve cared enough to help them safeguard their health on the road.”
While agents will earn a commission for recruiting each new MedicAlert member ($35 annual dues for the first year, $20 annual dues for renewals), Watkins stressed that MedicAlert is not a sponsor of ARTA. “We view this program as an excellent way for ARTA agents to show their communities that they care about the well-being of travelers,” she said.
Founded in 1963, ARTA is the largest nonprofit trade organization in North America that represents travel agents exclusively. It is headquartered in Lexington, Ky.
Founded in 1956, MedicAlert (http://www.medicalert.org/) is one of the world’s largest nonprofit membership organizations with a mission to protect and save lives. The MedicAlert Electronic Health Record provides a secure and seamless transfer of identification and medical information to health and safety professionals 24 hours a day anywhere in the world, thereby ensuring patient safety and improving the quality of their care. Headquartered in the United States, MedicAlert has affiliates in nine countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand that help serve more than 4 million members around the globe.
MedicAlert Foundation
CONTACT: John Hawks, APR, of ARTA HQ, 800-969-6069; or Jenna Brown ofMedic Alert Corporate Communications, +1-209-669-2429
Web site: http://www.medicalert.org/
