More than ever, travelers going abroad are being advised to plan in advance for emergencies. Cornell has made it easier for people traveling internationally on university business to cope with medical and other emergencies by providing automatic coverage through International SOS, the world's largest provider of medical and security assistance programs.
All faculty, students and staff, including people enrolled in Study Abroad and Cornell Adult University, are covered under the program, said Allen Bova, Cornell's director of risk management.
"International SOS can be a very valuable part of anyone's travel plans," Bova said. "Cornell has an international focus, and we're encouraging everyone to utilize this program to the fullest extent."
While all Cornell travelers receive automatic coverage while on university business, on-the-road assistance can be improved if they register with International SOS before every trip, providing details about their itinerary and their personal medical profiles.
The Web site for the Einaudi Center for International Studies http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu hosts a direct link to the SOS site, where people can link to the Cornell University Assistance Abroad Portal. After providing their Net ID, they will be asked to fill out a form detailing their destination, dates of travel and a medical profile. In addition, the SOS site also offers security reports for individual countries and 101 cities around the world related to crime, terrorism, natural disasters and other security-related issues, and convenience information that includes sections on "Getting There," "Getting Around," "Business Profile" and "Business Etiquette."
There is also a link to the Travel Assistance Clinic of Gannett: University Health Services http://www.gannett.cornell.edu/medical/travelservices.html. The site describes Gannett's travel services, which include offering immunizations.
"We're encouraging people to utilize these services," Bova said. "They provide a level of comfort in case there's a problem."
People who book a trip through the Cornell Travel Office or Stone Travel are automatically registered with SOS at the time their flights are booked, Bova said. Those who book their own travel need to go to the SOS site to register.
Cornell travelers are covered even if they don't register on the SOS Web site, but providing details about flight and hotel arrangements and medical history in advance "can be very valuable if we have to get you out of someplace," Bova said, "or if you have a health emergency." SOS is a secure site.
SOS operates a global network of primary care and emergency services, as well as security crisis centers, translation services and transportation fleets.
Faculty or staff who escort groups of students on international travel, including Canada and Mexico, should contact Bova in advance to get comprehensive risk management material, he advised. This is especially important when traveling to countries, such as Israel, for which the U.S. government has issued travel warnings; these locations are excluded from the university's liability insurance for terrorism incidents. SOS does provide coverage for medical or security evacuations.
"Terrorism can happen anywhere," Bova said. "SOS can direct people to safe houses and safe areas, provide medical care for injuries or evacuate people."
After enrolling, people are provided with a member card and membership number. In case of emergency, they should first contact SOS, which operates a 24-hour hotline. If they have not pre-registered, they can contact Cornell Police or the Risk Management office, which can alert SOS to the emergency and arrange a response.
Weill Cornell employees also are covered under this plan, except for travel to Qatar. Weill employees must go directly to the SOS site and enter Cornell's membership number, which they can get from the risk management offices in New York City or Ithaca.
People who are on personal travel may sign up for SOS insurance at a discount through Cornell's corporate membership.
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