133 INTERVIEW In good hands AP Companies’ Dr Arthur Diskin shares with Laura Hyde why the firm now offers medical appointments in ports of call for passengers as well as crew members After almost 15 years providing medical assistance for crew on cruise ships, AP Companies is extending its services to provide medical appointments for passengers in ports of call too. The new service has been developed in response to increasing demand from cruise lines who are welcoming a growing number of passengers aged over 80, who may need rapid access to quality medical care. “Medical assistance can take many forms,” says Dr Arthur Diskin, global medical strategy director at AP Marine. “Although cruise ships have their own doctors and nurses, sometimes crew and passengers present with health problems that cannot be resolved onboard, so they must access care in ports or at a nearby medical facility. AP Companies has a comprehensive network of medical specialists who can promptly and efficiently provide quality care at reasonable rates. We can accompany the patient until they are discharged to return to the ship, or if necessary, we can repatriate crew and passengers to their own country for more comprehensive medical care.” Diskin explains that AP Marine’s services have expanded significantly since the Covid-19 pandemic. “We recognised the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic and as such expanded our services to include online solutions, such as telemedicine and mental health support,” he says. “These additions enabled us to adapt to the changing needs of our clients and ensure continuity of care despite the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. In turn, this helped us to refine our processes and serve our clients with greater flexibility and resilience.” AP Marine offers its services to passengers and crew with no monthly or annual enrolment fee; instead they are provided on a case-by-case basis. “Our services are based on years of experience,” says Diskin. “The backbone of our provision of care is a comprehensive global medical network and a strong team of case managers, consisting of nurses with clinical experience, who are able to navigate passenger and crew medical issues with ease. This makes us an ideal medical partner for cruise lines.” “ The backbone of our provision of care is a comprehensive global medical network ” Photo: istock/fizkes AP Companies can help cruise passengers get rapid access to quality medical care
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=