From washing dishes and tending bars in Australia to running the biggest private ambulance company in the Philippines, Lifeline 16-911 CEO Michael Deakin has taken the unlikely path from the hospitality industry to the business of saving lives.

On its 25th year, Lifeline has saved over 250,000 lives. With a team of 400 professionals and a fleet of over 60 world-class ambulances and first responders, it is the first ambulance company to be accredited by the Philippine Department of Health. All Lifeline ambulances are fitted with cutting-edge medical equipment, life-saving medications and a trained team of emergency medical technicians, registered nurses and doctors. It is the trusted ambulance provider in the Philippines for visiting dignitaries and world leaders such as Pope Francis and former US President Barrack Obama. At the helm is an Australian-Filipino ex-hotel manager turned emergency medical technician and CEO. Quite a feat for someone who refers to himself as an accidental entrepreneur. In 2000, Deakin was initially recruited by Lifeline’s owners to close the company amidst financial losses. But once on board, he had other ideas. Having worked his way up the ranks to becoming General Manager of the Manila Yacht Club and Rockwell Club, Deakin knew a thing or two about how providing excellent service would yield repeat customers and bring on business success. Deakin persevered to keep the business afloat by seeking individual investors and focusing on what he knew best - delivering fast, excellent and seamless service.

In emergency medical services, that meant innovating with passion and creativity. Deakin took on ownership of the company and did just that. Growing up with dyslexia, he was adept at finding unique solutions to challenges. One after the other, ideas came to fruition, all with an eye on delivering the best possible service to patients and their loved ones in the crucial moments during a medical emergency. Aiming for a 12-minute average response time even in Metro Manila traffic, Lifeline created safety zones and LifePODs, or points-of-dispatch, to ensure the fastest way to respond to a patient.

Seeking immediate treatment in Emergency Rooms for their patients, Lifeline built a wide network of partner hospitals for endorsement to begin as soon as the emergency call comes in. Lifeline sought to hire only the most qualified EMTs but being unsatisfied with the training options available, Deakin founded the Lifeline EMS Academy to train and certify EMTs, many of whom are now working in emergency services across the globe. The Academy has since published the first EMT Manual in the country. Aware that some patients would be unable to communicate in a medical emergency, Lifeline created a mobile locator app to detect a patient’s location and dispatch help exactly where needed.

Frustrated by long waiting times at diagnostic labs and doctor’s clinics, Lifeline developed a Doctor/Diagnostics- On-Call service so patients needing blood tests and consultations could be attended to in the comfort of their own homes.

Deakin has demonstrated that an iron will and the courage to take on daunting tasks can lead to the biggest reward, caring for people when they need it most. When he isn’t busy with Lifeline’s operations, Deakin is a family man who spends much of his free time with his wife, Monica, and their three children. He counts painting and sculpting as his favourite hobbies.

Today, Lifeline continues to lead the future of EMS in the Philippines. With 5 million people covered under their memberships, the mission to provide world-class emergency medical services to all Filipinos in every town around the country is underway. In an ever-changing business landscape, Deakin stays focused on constantly re-developing the corporate model he created and is making plans to adapt it to other Southeast Asian countries.

He remains steadfast in his commitment to deliver exceptional service to Lifeline’s patients and members. Lifeline measures its success by the number of lives saved and not by the revenue generated. By adhering to this principle and staying focused on the value of service, revenue inevitably followed.