Medical Access System has grown over the years from a small private practice in Brazil, to a medical specialist providing niche services to a number of large corporate clients. Founding physicians Frits Sutmoller talks about the evolution of Medical Access System, the values the company operates by, and the services it is offering as Brazil prepares for the World Cup.

The New Economy: Medical Access System was set up in response to some quite specific demands; tell us the background behind MAS.

Dr Frits Sutmoller: I moved to Brazil in the early 80s, and started work on research projects in both respiratory infections in small children, and AIDS vaccine trials. With that I also started a private medical solo practice as a GP, which attended very much to ex-patriates. These ex-patriates were very often the leaders of corporate clients, and they very soon came to me to request services for their businesses that they felt they needed.

It all started really with British Airways, which was starting to fly down to Rio, and needed support for pilots and their flight attendants. And very soon mining companies such as BHP came around and we provided that service. That very soon expanded, due to the opening of the Brazilian market to the outside world. And therefore the oil companies came in, and we started having the operators and their supporting companies as our clients, and that was when we got a whole series of requests of services that were needed.

Brazil’s going through a very challenging time, especially Rio de Janeiro. There will be a big demand for good healthcare provision and alarm centre helplines in the near future

The New Economy: So tell us more about the services and products you offer to your clients.

Dr Frits Sutmoller: There’s basically seven major projects that we provide to our clients. One is medical assistance. There really is a big demand and need for good quality care that people trust and feel comfortable with. Especially with our European and American background, they feel very comfortable with that, and that’s important.

The second one is that people need – especially corporate clients and oil companies demand – an alarm centre, top-side support for their operations. Which is basically an alarm centre 24/7. We have also medical emergency response teams that can respond to real emergencies, and that’s both in the Macaé, which is like the Brazilian Aberdeen, and Rio de Janeiro itself.

We also provide staffing to remote locations. These are physicians – we’ve really stressed they are physicians on these oil rigs, because there is no such thing as a paramedic in Brazil, and so we’re a strong believer that that is a service that is needed.

We also provide occupational health services, and we do it within the international scope, as we do it along the oil and gas UK standards and FAA pilots physical standards. We also provide the training, that’s first aid training, and alcohol and drug policies, so that’s with alcohol and drug testing.

The New Economy: And tell us about some of your corporate principles, in particular the PEARL values?

Dr Frits Sutmoller: We strongly believe in them, they are very important.

The P in PEARL standards for Partnerships, so there’s really strong MAS partnership with doctors, so we have a strong partnership internally. Our partnerships with the clients, they really feel that they have something to that they can rely on.

We strongly believe in our medical Expertise, that we have to be updated and be up to date with our expectations and what medicine provides.

Available, and that’s very much through the alarm centre, and that’s very much through the alarm centre, the availability that people can always talk to us whenever they need us.

R – Reliable – when they ask it does get served.

And we’re proud of being Leaders in making changes in the field.

The New Economy: Now, you were pioneers in offering doctors and medical assistants in remote locations in Brazil, what challenges have you faced in providing this service?

Dr Frits Sutmoller: Well, the first challenge was that in Brazil we had a concept that nurse technicians were on board in remote site locations. That is to us a level of care that was not adequate to the expectations of our corporate clients.

As there is no paramedic function in Brazil, professional group as such, we then upgraded it and it has to be physicians, and they have served us very well.

There really is a big demand and need for good quality care that people trust and feel comfortable with

The New Economy: Finally, how do you see the needs and demands of your clients changing in the future, and how do you plan to address this?

Dr Frits Sutmoller: Well, Brazil’s going through a very challenging time, especially Rio de Janeiro, which will be providing the World Cup Confederation Cup now in these few days. Then there’s the World Cup next year, and then the Olympics. So there will be a big demand for good healthcare provision and alarm centre helplines in the near future.

Brazil’s also found a lot of oil offshore Rio de Janeiro, so therefore there’s going to be a big new demand on the needs of oil rigs and installations. So there will be a big demand coming up to provide all the integrated services that we provide.

The New Economy: And you will be providing services to the World Cup?

Dr Frits Sutmoller: Yes, we have already some clients that have requested our service for the medical helpline, and we’re proud to be there to do it.

The New Economy: Frits, thank you.

Dr Frits Sutmoller: Thank you.