Chartered Medical Evacuation Travel (CMET) | United Nations Development Programme

1	Step Flowchart – Chartered Medical Evacuation Travel (CMET) Process	Responsible Party	Template/Guideline Flowchart – Chartered Medical Evacuation Travel (CMET) Process	Explanatory Notes
2	Step Request approval for evacuation by chartered air transportation to Head of Office and advise HR Administrator	Responsible Party Staff member	Template/Guideline	Explanatory Notes To avoid any delay in the emergency arrangements, staff members should not contact SOS directly. Only under very exceptional circumstances, when the UNDP authorizing officials cannot be reached, should the staff member contact SOS directly. Even so, it will still be necessary for SOS to attempt to locate the authorizing official at the duty station or an authorizing official in OHR.
3	Step Verify eligibility of the staff member	Responsible Party	Template/Guideline	Explanatory Notes International and national staff members with appointments governed by the UN Staff Regulations and Staff Rules and their eligible dependents.
4	Step Consult with UN Examining Physician/UN Dispensary Physician on the need for Chartered MET	Responsible Party Head of Office	Template/Guideline Annex A Contact Information For UN Medical Services Division (UNMSD) New York	Explanatory Notes Head of Office (RR/Officer-in-Charge) The Head of Office may consult with the UN Medical Director, UN Medical Services Division (UNMSD); see Annex A. However, prior consultation with New York is not a requirement. The factors of degree of health risk, speed and cost will have to be taken into account. When in doubt, the health and life of the patient should be the overriding consideration.
5	Step Evaluate and recommend MET for a staff member/ dependant on chartered air transportation to the Head of Office	Responsible Party Physician	Template/Guideline	Explanatory Notes Local Medical Officer or the UN Dispensary Physician or local UN Examining Physician For acute medical emergency, when it is not possible to arrange normal medical evacuation. When in doubt, the health and life of the patient should be the overriding consideration.
6	Step Approve Chartered MET	Responsible Party Head of Office	Template/Guideline Countries with inadequate medical facilities justifying medical evacuation to recognized regional medical centres	Explanatory Notes Head of Office (RR/Officer-in-Charge) The RR determines the destination of the MET, which should normally be the nearest recognized regional medical centre (see Annex B) or the place nearest the duty station where adequate medical facilities are available, bearing in mind the particular nature of the illness/injury involved and the type of treatment required. For chartered MET outside the region, the advice of the UN Medical Services should be sought.
7	Step Approve MET outside the region	Responsible Party	Template/Guideline	Explanatory Notes The UN Medical Services would advise on a suitable location outside the region, where applicable.
8	Step Communicate approval to staff; Contact International SOS; Inform insurance company and organize evacuation; Ensure completed Prior Agreement Form is forwarded to medical insurance company (CIGNA); Contact the UNDP office at MET destination; Monitor the patient during MET; Process Travel Authorization; Process payment of invoice	Responsible Party	Template/Guideline Entitlement Travel CMET, MET-Annex C International SOS - Alarm Centre directory Entitlement Travel CMET Annex D Emergency Chartered Medical Evacuation Services	Explanatory Notes When chartered air transportation is necessary, this may be done by requesting the services of: - International SOS (see policy above); or - local/regional companies specialized in emergency chartered medical evacuations (see Annex D, which contains the names, addresses and telephone numbers of some companies). The quickest way to contact SOS for assistance is by telephone. The SOS Alarm Control Centres are listed in Annex C. These offices are open 24 hours a day for service. Facsimile may also be used. In contacting SOS, the UNDP authorizing office should provide: - the name of the staff member; - UNDP’s SOS identification number (11BCMA000174); - the nature of the problem; and - the location and a telephone number where the patient or his/her attending physician and the designated physician can be reached. The Purchase Order is the official authorizing document that defines the entitlements and parameters of the approved travel and commits funds for these entitlements. Evacuees and accompanying family members and/or medical escorts must be in possession of a signed Purchase Order prior to undertaking chartered MET. Authorization that has been given verbally should be confirmed as soon as possible by the issuance of a Purchase Order. SOS expenses should be charged to the same funding source against which the staff member’s salary is charged.
9	Step Take Chartered MET	Responsible Party Staff member	Template/Guideline	Explanatory Notes Completes a cost estimate form if requested. - If the staff member is unable to complete and/or sign the form, the staff member’s spouse or an adult family member may complete and sign the form on his/her behalf. If attempts to contact the staff member’s spouse or an adult family member have failed, the Head of Office (RR/ OiC) may sign on the staff member’s behalf. This measure should only be taken under circumstances where there is supporting documentation to show that efforts to contact the staff member’s spouse or adult family member were unsuccessful and where further delay could jeopardize the staff member’s well-being. When using this measure, the UNDP decision maker is responsible for communicating all medical information to the staff member until such time as a spouse or adult family member is contacted. Submits medical report to UN Medical Services through UN physician on return from Chartered MET.
10	Step Forward Letter of Guarantee to the hospital	Responsible Party	Template/Guideline	Explanatory Notes CIGNA will arrange for direct settlement of reimbursable expenses to the hospital.
11	Step Submit invoice to Country Office for chartered air transportation	Responsible Party International SOS	Template/Guideline	Explanatory Notes SOS and/or the firm used by SOS to provide services will send the invoice(s) for the services rendered to the staff member’s office. Any invoice coming from individual firms other than SOS should have prior clearance and endorsement from SOS.