Further, Trustedoctor merge to provide ‘borderless’ healthcare

Private medical insurance company Further Group has ramped up its presence in digital healthcare by merging with Trustedoctor, a startup that puts patients in contact with medical professionals.

Further – which was rebranded from BDU International in 2019 – specialises in providing cross-border health insurance to people across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and according to CEO Frank Ahedo aims to provide people with access to healthcare “no matter what the location or cost.”

Adding Trustedoctor to the business bolsters its digital health capabilities with online consultations, second opinions and other tools to help patients take control of their illnesses and access the care they want, without geographical restrictions.

“Together, we will continue to remove financial and logistical hurdles faced by consumers that want to access the very best treatment when faced with a serious illness,” said Ahedo.

First launched in 2016, Trustedoctor was born from the experiences of founder and CEO Greg Jarzabek whilst trying to get the best care for his mother, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2011.

Using the platform, patients can seek out a doctor based on factors such as location, tumour and treatment type, and request a consultation with their chosen choice.

The tool means the doctor can review necessary information like medical records, scans, and diagnostic results in a digital file, and decided whether to accept the consultation, or refer to anther specialist. The consultation and referral both take place within the Trustedoctor platform.

Trustedoctor started out focusing on oncology, but is expanding into other medical areas and is now being used to connect patients with doctors in more than a dozen countries across Europe, the US and Asia.

It was already offering critical insurance and employee benefits services to corporate clients before the merger with Further. The company will have business in over 30 countries and partnerships with over 300 insurers and employers.

Jarząbek said the merger will create “a new market-leader in borderless, complete healthcare solution and provide a unique opportunity for us to collectively grow our network of doctors and hospitals.

“This will ultimately mean that more patients see the benefits of world-leading medical expertise.”