‘Health is wealth’ as the saying goes and, according to a recent report by strategic consulting firm Barton, titled What Matters Most: Inside the UHNWI Mindset, the wealthiest are more concerned than ever with their health and wellbeing, and that of their families. They don’t just want to live longer but also live better no matter the age.
Dubbed by The Times as ‘the private jet of health MOTs’, The Platinum Assessment by Echelon Health in London’s Harley Street is the world’s most accurate health screening available on the market at present. Interrogated and endorsed by the former president of the British Institute of Radiology, David Wilson, this comprehensive health assessment can detect up to 92 per cent of causes of deadly diseases in men, and up to 95 per cent in women, before they become symptomatic or life-threatening.
This means that tumours and cancers can be treated when they are as tiny as 1-2mm, allowing speedy intervention and recovery. After the assessment, clients have a personal consultation with Dr Paul Jenkins, medical director and founder of Echelon Health. If something is found, he will advise the best way to proceed, whether via the NHS or via private practitioners.
But there’s more. What makes Echelon Health stand out is its ability to combine cutting-edge technology and a team of expert consultants with five-star services that remind more of those offered by luxury hotels and concierge businesses, rather than health facilities.
We sat down with Ahmed Elbarkouki, former luxury hotelier who has recently been appointed CEO of Echelon Health, to discuss what healthcare can learn from luxury hospitality and what’s in store for the Harley Street clinic.
Can you tell us more about your background in luxury hospitality?
I started my career with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in my home country, Egypt. They had a clear mission: set the gold standard of a whole new level of luxury service in the destination. While it was challenging at times, it was also incredibly exciting and rewarding to be part of such a pioneering company, willing to revolutionise luxury hospitality in my country.
After this first experience, my career continued in conference management and sales and marketing, specifically covering the European and North American markets. I moved to the UK in 2007 and joined the Maybourne Hotel Group – owner and operator of Claridge’s, The Berkeley and The Connaught – before becoming The Savoy’s head of international sales looking after the Middle East, East Europe and South America. This is when I started working closely with HNW individuals.
Why did you decide to change industries and move to private healthcare?
I have always been fascinated by the private healthcare industry and its complexity. I liked the idea of building strong synergies within the client base, something I already experienced working in luxury hospitality.
My background experience with high-end hotels gave me the opportunity to elevate the client experience within the healthcare industry beyond the clinical function, into a well-rounded luxury lifestyle experience. This is the long-term goal for me and the team at Echelon Health.
What do you think private healthcare business can learn from the luxury hospitality industry?
There are specific elements inherent to the luxury industry that can enhance the overall customer value proposition when it comes to health. Those elements are the ones surrounding the delivery of clinical care. For many, going to the doctor or getting tested is a stressful experience: our mission is to make our client’s health journey as pleasant as possible.
Thanks to our brilliant client liaison managers we have created a nurturing environment that puts clients in a relaxed mental and emotional state (and this in turn affects some of the efficacy of the treatment they are receiving). We recently partnered with leading hypnotherapist, Malminder Gill, to offer clients calming meditation recordings before they do a CT or MRI, which can be quite nerve-racking experiences.
Our client experience sits head and shoulders above the rest. Since our clients come from all over the UK, we launched Echelon Optimum, a package that includes our most comprehensive health assessment (the Platinum) and a two-night stay at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London (the night before and night of the assessment day). Clients within a 100-mile radius of the clinic will be collected from their homes and chauffeured to the hotel, then the following day to Harley Street for a meticulously designed day of tests under the care of their personal client liaison manager.
When their day at Echelon Health is over, clients will be whisked back to the hotel, where they can relax and have a voucher to spend on pampering themselves. In the morning, clients will be chauffeured back to their home and within two weeks Dr Paul Jenkins will follow up personally with a detailed health analysis and healthcare suggestions for the future. Thanks to this service, the logistics around how to get to London for their health appointment is sorted and our clients can just focus on themselves.
As CEO, I’m extremely happy that all the team and our investors are deeply committed to developing a serene, flawless and luxurious health journey for our customers.
Can you please comment on the developing trend for preventative health care services amongst U/HNW clientele?
There is no doubt that the pandemic dictated a shift in mindset when it comes to health and prevention, and the U/HNW clientele is no different. Preserving health within their family and ensuring that there is a strong preventative health product available for generations to come is becoming a necessity. From my experience with the family office community and the finance sector in London, healthcare is a regular a topic of discussion during industry conferences.
Any future growth and development plans for Echelon Health?
We are always interested in growth opportunities, as long as they are organic, add value to our offering and enable us to provide a consistent level of service. We are currently developing new specific assessments and securing industry partnerships that will continue to elevate our brand.
Health in the workplace: what are the benefits of preventative health assessments for CEOs?
Having a competitive set of wellness and health benefits is becoming key for companies and having a strong preventative health product really gives CEOs confidence and peace of mind. Our Platinum Assessment is so accurate that it can detect up to 92 per cent of the causes of deadly diseases up to four years before they manifest. For women, that figure is 95 per cent.
The difference in time, effort and emotional stress that comes from detecting something at its earliest stage and dealing with it through a minor procedure, versus detecting a disease at a later stage is simply incomparable. Therefore, many organisations are interested in adding such preventative healthcare products to their existing healthcare insurance.
For more information or to book an assessment, visit echelon.health.
