Lauren Talbot, VIKAND’s Manager of Case Management, leads a global team of qualified registered nurses with the goal to provide each guest and crew member a medical disembarkation experience that is as good as it could possibly be. “We understand that a medical emergency can be a stressful time for patients and their loved ones. We aim to support and guide them in all steps of the process from disembarkation to repatriation,” she says.

Lauren joined VIKAND in November 2021 in an administrative role. Her responsibilities grew to include case managing and now, coordinating all cases. In August 2022, she was promoted to manage the team.

“I am proud to be a part of the fast, progressive growth of the VIKAND case management department  and our commitment to creating a personal ‘case culture’. Each patient receives compassionate care for a positive healthcare outcome. We believe that empathy and kindness play an integral role in care,” she says.

Lauren steadfastly believes medical advancement is in an amazing era where people are more open to receiving assistance over the phone, rather than face-to-face, as in the past. “This is incredibly important in the maritime industry as we support cruise lines, commercial shipping, and yachting throughout their voyages around the world, all done remotely.

“In 2022, VIKAND managed 2315 client cases which represents 261 crew and 2055 guests. From a purely case management perspective, VIKAND’s services include everything from intake, triage, allocation of cases, monthly statistics, reporting and client review meetings. More importantly, we’re providing the kind of care that is human-centric and based on client and patient advocacy, communication and transparency. Simply, VIKAND provides peace of mind for guests, crew and operators alike,” says Lauren.

VIKAND’s Case Management department faced some interesting challenges—providing an exceptional opportunity to streamline case management best practices—during the COVID pandemic. For several months VIKAND assisted ships that disembarked large groups, sometimes 60-80 guest and crew patients at once, due to testing positive for COVID. As a result, VIKAND developed enhanced processes to streamline disembarkations, including creating heightened relationships with port agents, various shoreside providers and providing regular updates to shipboard medical teams and shoreside management.

“While we’re all pleased that the harshest conditions presented by COVID are seemingly behind us, at VIKAND, we were able to reassure and support our patients holistically during very trying times. I am grateful to clients who have entrusted us over the last two years to manage their medical disembarkations and support their crew members back to health, enabling them to return to their positions onboard.”