140 likes | 168 Views
Medical care to a special population of travelers: The seafarers. Francesco Amenta Fondazione Centro Internazionale Radio Medico (CIRM), Roma Centro di Telemedicina e Telefarmacia Università di Camerino, Camerino, Italy. Medical Travel.
E N D
Medical care to a special population of travelers: The seafarers Francesco Amenta Fondazione Centro Internazionale Radio Medico (CIRM), Roma Centro di Telemedicina e Telefarmacia Università di Camerino, Camerino, Italy
Medical Travel Medical travel indicates traveling for medical care. In general it is referred to patients travelling in search of specialised treatments, surgeries or rehabilitation programs in high-level hospitals with qualified personnel and innovative technologies. The term is also used when healthy patients decide to travel to improve their health. There are also other travellers for medical care. It is the case of workers on board merchant ships or airlines. In case of diseases or accidents that cannot be treated satisfactorily on board they go to a physician/hospital in the first port/airport.
Injuries and illness at sea: who cares? • The largest majority of merchant ships do not have on board a doctor or adequately trained paramedic personnel • Merchant ships can be at sea for days or weeks before they can reach a port • For centuries medical assistance to people on board ships was left to the responsibility of the ship’s captain. He helped himself with notions learned in courses of hygiene in nautical institutes or with medical books • The level of medical assistance in these conditions was extremely poor.
Medical Assistance at Sea • Since the first Radio Medical service started in New York City (1920), between 1922 and 1939 12 countries have developed Radio Medico • All countries ratifying ILO 106 (1958) are required to have a Radio Medical Service free of charge • No distinction made between nationality of patients using Radio Medical services
Telemedicine at Sea • More advanced telemedical systems are slowly being taken on board the ships • Circular IMO MSC/circ 960 (2000) emphasizes the relevance of telemedical services for providing high quality medical assistance to sealing seafarers • The circular introduces the Telemedical Maritime Assistance Service (TMAS) and defines standards and roles for TMAS
Maritime telemedicine Satellite Land Earth Station Ship with patient Landbased network Speach Medical service • Communication from ship via satellite • Expensive use
Advantages offered by telemedicine 1938: Transmission of breathing and pulse rate by radiotelegraphy 2002: Store-and-forward picture of an ankle injury used for guiding medication 2000: Dermatological lesion
Injuries and illness at sea: who cares? • A medical officer is in charge of the patient • On land, several doctors (TMAS) are available to give advise • The doctor will need the best possible information about the state of the patient • The doctor will need the best collaboration from the ship side • Knowledge of the patient’s medical history is extremely useful
ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD SOFTWARE TELEMEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE
SEAFARERS HEALTH PASSPORT • Knowledge of the patient’s medical history is extremely useful
THE NEAR FUTURE • New Health Requirements for European Flag Ships