Membership Testimonials

 A Terrifying Ski Trip that Ended with a Leg Broken in 12 Places

Had it not been for her membership in the Southern Medical Association (SMA) and the organization’s affiliate relationship with MedjetAssist, Dr. Pamela McLain doubts she would have ever known about MedjetAssist. But thanks to SMA membership benefits, Dr. McLain did join MedjetAssist, and now, she is very glad she did.

Dr. McLain and her family were trying to squeeze in just one more run down the ski slopes during a New Year’s trip to Snowmass, Colorado, but the fading afternoon light and wind-driven snow quickly obscured Dr. McLain’s view of the uneven ground below her. Heading down an unfamiliar trail, she hit a mogul and was immediately airborne, flipping head over heels several times, as she sailed almost 50 feet down the mountain. The Alabama dermatologist could feel her leg breaking repeatedly each time she bounced on the ground.

“The worst part was that the fall took so long that there was time for anticipation – knowing that I was going to hit again each time I flipped,” Dr. McLain recalls.

When she finally landed, Dr. McLain could see her leg bent unnaturally upwards at midcalf. As a doctor, she knew the process of straightening the mangled limb would only be worse with each minute that passed. So, with incredible bravery and a scream that could be heard across the dusky mountain, Dr. McLain reached down and straightened her own leg, even as her son was making the emergency call to the ski patrol.

Dr. McLain’s leg was broken into 12 pieces, with fractures involving the ankle and knee. Her hamstring was torn. Bones in her hand were dislocated and ligaments torn. During a lengthy surgery that night and into the next morning, Dr. McLain and her husband, a rheumatologist, never thought about their MedjetAssist membership. But the next day, her husband mentioned the accident to other doctors at the conference he was attending, and one of them said, “What a shame you don’t have MedjetAssist.” That’s when it dawned on him, “My God, we do have MedjetAssist!”

“He called MedjetAssist almost immediately” Dr. McLain says. “They ended up talking directly to me because it was a weekend, and they couldn’t reach the doctor who had done my surgery. I talked to them for just three or four minutes, and they managed everything from that moment on.”

MedjetAssist made arrangements to bring Dr. McLain home to Birmingham as soon as she was medically stable for travel. “As a doctor, you get used to all the red tape and delays of dealing with insurance companies,” Dr. McLain says. “Dealing with MedjetAssist was a totally different experience. We called them at a time when our lives were disrupted and full of anxiety. They took total control over all arrangements to transport me home. All details were considered, and each and every contact was courteous, compassionate and helpful. MedjetAssist transported me promptly, safely and professionally. They surpassed even my highest expectations.”

Luke Hartsfield, Director of the Fringe Benefits Program for the Southern Medical Association, says Dr. McLain’s experience is par for the course in dealing with MedjetAssist. Over the years, he has had feedback from numerous SMA members who were transported by MedjetAssist due to medical emergencies.

“It never fails when I go to one of our meetings. Someone will come up to me and express gratitude for the MedjetAssist program,” Luke says. “The MedjetAssist product is so inexpensive when you consider the value it provides. For the price, there is no other product we offer that has the propensity to pay back such multitudes over the original investment, not only in terms of mental and physical comfort but also monetarily.”

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