MedAire to Open New Medical Clinic in China
Clinic to Serve as Primary Medical Resource for Expatriate Families of Ford Motor Company
TEMPE, Ariz. and CHONGQING, China, April 8 -- Global health and security assistance provider MedAire, Inc. has entered into an agreement with the Ford Motor Company and Ford Motor (China) Ltd. to open a new 24-hour medical clinic in Chongqing, China. The clinic will be operated by MedAire's subsidiary, Global Doctor Ltd., and will provide occupational health care, primary and urgent care services to Ford's expatriate employees and their families.
The clinic, scheduled to open later this month, will be located within the Hilton Hotel Chongqing and staffed with both primary care and emergency physicians. The facility will also have a telemedicine link to MedAire's hospital-based Global Response Center, giving patients in western China immediate access to U.S. physicians.
"Our partnership with Ford exemplifies the need in today's international market for MedAire's unique capabilities of providing high standards of medical assistance and care on both a remote and local basis," said Joan Sullivan Garrett, MedAire president and CEO. "Such innovative solutions as this are in high demand today as major multi-national corporations expand further and further into new markets."
In addition to Ford employees, the clinic's medical resources will also be available to tourists, expatriates, international business travelers and the local population. Serving as the clinic's medical director will be Dr. Lisa Bell who has both intensive care and family practice experience and is a qualified Advanced Cardiac Life Support ("ACLS") instructor.
MedAire, through its Global Doctor subsidiary, owns and operates western-standard medical clinics in major Asian markets. The clinics bring U.S. standards of medicine to areas of the world where health care is limited or inadequate.
About MedAire
Established in 1986, MedAire offers fully integrated health and security solutions including remote emergency assistance services, training and education programs, specialized resources such as medical and security kits and a network of international-standard medical clinics in Asia. MedAire provides services to commercial airlines throughout the world, corporate flight departments, government agencies, military, maritime operators, and international business travelers and expatriates. MedAire, listed under MDE on the Australian Stock Exchange, can be found on the Internet at www.medaire.com .
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is one of the world's largest automotive companies. Its automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Volvo, Aston martin, Jaguar and Land Rover. Its automotive related services include Ford Financial and Hertz. Ford has manufacturing and assembly facilities in more than 40 countries and sales in more than 200 markets. In China, Ford's history dates back to 1913, when Model T was imported to China. Today, Ford has a 30% equity stake in Jiangling Motor Co. (JMC). In 1997, Ford and JMC launched the jointly developed and manufactured China Transit. On April 25, 2001, Ford Motor Company and Changan Automotive (Group) Co. jointly established Changan Ford Automobile Corporation, Ltd (CAF). The JV, with an initial joint investment of US$98 million, each party holding 50% of the total share, will manufacture passenger cars catering to Chinese consumers' needs. The first Ford passenger car made by Changan Ford, Ford Fiesta, was launched on January 18, 2003.