Jakarta, Indonesia, 22 Nov – In a post pandemic and inflationary era, corporations are marked by dual pressures of regional market expansion and cost containment, Global Assistance and Healthcare (GAH), a leading provider of global medical emergency assistance services, is strategically positioned to meet the evolving needs of the global business landscape. As Fullerton Health expands in Southeast Asia, the integrated health services within this ecosystem allows GAH to provide more comprehensive services to clients.
Mr Alain Durand, President Director of Global Assistance and Healthcare (part of Fullerton Health Corporation Ltd), shares insights into the industry and GAH’s growth. Figures from the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) indicated extraordinary growth of global travel from just 25 million travellers in 1950, to 1.5 billion in 2019 (pre-COVID-19). This data underscores the ever-increasing importance of assistance services, requiring robust, sustainable, and professional local expertise to serve a growing global business community.
“Clients trust GAH’s capabilities in providing exceptional support on a larger scale, in more countries,” explained Mr Alain, “We are an asset to all we serve, in every country where we are present. As Fullerton Health expands, GAH looks forward to enhancing our value and delivering even better solutions for our clients.”
“GAH’s expansion is in tandem with the increase in global travel. GAH is committed to not only meeting healthcare needs but also enhancing the countries of coverage and the scope to services. To ensure that we are able to exceed service expectations, we acquired the latest technology and equipment, hired more physicians and improved our operational systems. Our commitment toward service excellence remains as we expand to more locations,” said Mr Alain.
With a heritage rooted in over 30 years of outstanding medical, transport and aviation assistance services, GAH works the ground as a team. Our people in the field and all have deep first-hand expertise and understand the realities of every encounter. We find solutions, facilitate logistics and ensure appropriate medical treatment is made available.
GAH’s expansion story began in Jakarta, Indonesia, and now encompasses four alarm centres, including Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), Manila (Philippines), and Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea). Mr Alain elaborated on the significance of these locations, noting that they align with Fullerton Health Group’s commitment to deploy assistance capabilities across their markets as they grow in Southeast Asia. These regions enable GAH to cater to both inbound travellers and the domestic market.
GAH is also planning an expansion to deepen its reach into Cambodia, China, and Hong Kong in 2024.
Mr Alain said, “The expansion into Cambodia is a natural progression of our existing Vietnam-based operation. GAH will use its Ho Chi Minh City alarm centre to serve Cambodia, leveraging our network of contracted Cambodian medical facilities to provide better coverage over Indochina. Likewise, we recognise the strategic importance of China and Hong Kong due to their population size, international business concentration, and the presence of large national companies. As such, we are currently evaluating options to establish the most effective service set-up in these regions.”
Regarding future plans for the home market in Indonesia, which is one of the fastest growing economies, Mr Alain said, “our ambition is to open more outpatient facilities across Indonesia. This expansion aims to provide integrated healthcare solutions for tourists in popular destinations like Bali and Lombok while serving corporate clients in need of healthcare support across the Indonesian archipelago.”
Mr Alain further added, “Even though staying attuned to technological advancements and the incorporation of artificial intelligence and automation into our services is vital, our most significant challenge lies in building a sustainable business by developing a robust succession plan and transferring knowledge and experience to the next generation of talent. The organisation remains committed to providing affordable and accessible services as they continue to evolve and expand.”
“Our patients and our community have helped to make us the premier healthcare provider in our area. It’s something we’re very proud of and also something we take very seriously. Our staff and physicians work every day to earn the community’s trust and confidence in the care we provide. Our region has grown, and Fullerton Health, together with GAH is expanding right along with it,” concluded Mr Alain.
