Acquisition marks expansion of absence and injury management services, a first for Sedgwick in Australia 

SYDNEY, Feb. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sedgwick, a leading global provider of technology-enabled risk, benefits and integrated business solutions, announced it has acquired Direct Health Solutions (DHS), a leading specialist provider of employer-based telehealth solutions in Australia.

With this acquisition, Sedgwick — the world's largest provider of workforce absence solutions — enters the absence management space in Australia and expands its global productivity and benefits offerings. In addition to complementing Sedgwick's developing injury management, employee productivity and workers' compensation solutions in Australia, the deal gives DHS customers, who include some of Australia's largest and most innovative corporations, the added support of Sedgwick's global resources and expertise.

"DHS helps companies manage employee leave and absence with care and empathy, which aligns naturally with Sedgwick's mission to take care of people in their time of need and help clients navigate these processes with ease," said Diego Ascani, Sedgwick CEO in Australia. "DHS is a market leader in this space, with a best-in-class reputation, expertise in the nuances of absence management guidelines in Australia and thoughtfully developed tech solutions. We very much look forward to uniting our teams in order to further support our clients and customers."

Founded in 2004, DHS was the first company in Australia to introduce a nurse-led telehealth absence management service; they later developed an injury triage service and medical advice line. The company operates a 24/7 telehealth nurse contact center that provides medical triage and management advice, along with referrals to Australia's most extensive preferred network of occupationally trained allied health professionals and medical practitioners. DHS is a go-to organization in Australia for early intervention injury and incident management, outsourced absence management and medical services spanning pre-employment assessments and COVID-19 management services. 

"For nearly two decades, our team has been dedicated to developing the best absence and injury management resources and technology platforms in Australia," said Paul Dundon, founder of DHS. "In our next chapter with Sedgwick, we have the opportunity to expand our reach and continue caring for people when they need it most. The future is bright for DHS and Sedgwick, and I am truly excited for all that we will accomplish together."

To learn more about Sedgwick's solutions in Australia, visit sedgwick.com/solutions/global/au. 

About SedgwickSedgwick is a leading global provider of technology-enabled risk, benefits and integrated business solutions. We provide a broad range of resources tailored to our clients' specific needs in casualty, property, marine, benefits, brand protection and other lines. At Sedgwick, caring counts; through the dedication and exper­tise of nearly 30,000 colleagues across 65 countries, the company takes care of people and organizations by mitigating and reducing risks and losses, promoting health and productivity, protecting brand reputations, and containing costs that can impact performance. Sedgwick's majority shareholder is The Carlyle Group; Stone Point Capital LLC, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), Onex and other management investors are minority shareholders. For more, see sedgwick.com.

Logo - https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/215042/sedgwick_logo.jpg?p=medium600