Emirates has launched new ‘telemedicine stations’ which will enable crew to gather information and vital signs, which can then be transmitted to the carrier’s Ground Medical Support.
The portable kits have been designed in partnership with Parsys Telemedicine, and will be rolled out to 300 aircraft over the next few years.
They offer HD video conferencing, remote passenger assessment, secure data transmission and 12-Leads Telecardia ECG, as well as medical devices including a pulse oximeter, thermometer, blood pressure monitor and glucometer.
Gathered information is transmitted to a Medcapture tablet via Bluetooth, eliminating the need for crew to relay information manually, and allowing them to have real-time communication with the Ground Medical Support team.
Emirates said that the new kits have already been installed on multiple aircraft “and have been instrumental in several successful medical cases so far”. These include a flight to Lyon where crew were able to provide oxygen to an elderly passenger and share her vital signs with the team on the ground.
New cabin crew undergo eight weeks of ab-initio training including the use of the new telemedicine stations, as well as training to deal with inflight emergencies from fainting and choking to breathing difficulties, allergic reactions, and sudden illnesses.
Crew are also trained in skills including CPR, Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use and childbirth assistance, led by certified aviation first aid instructors using advanced simulation technology.
