MSC Cruises has confirmed a new telemedicine service that will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Carestream will provide a multi-lingual paediatric service that will provide a cloud-based teleconsultation portal to allow the liner to diagnose, monitor and refer any passengers experiencing health issues.
The portal will be used across MSC’s entire fleet to provide a level of care previously only available on land. Satellite communications power the link, which is accessible all over the world.
The technology operates by connecting to a secure web portal, which passengers then use to enter diagnostic images or any other documentation to explain their health issue. Once this is sent, a specialist from the Gaslini Institute receives a notification and visits the portal to read the submission and provide medical advice.
Carestream’s system is based on the Vue for Vendor Neutral Archive and Vue Motion viewer, enabling the institute to view file formats on a zero-footprint platform.
Gianni Onorato, chief executive of MSC Cruises, said: “MSC Cruises is a family-owned company and we strongly believe in caring for the health and safety of our guests on board, with particular attention to younger travellers who can require specialised treatment that is different from other age groups.”
Mr Onorato explained that MSC is “really excited” about the collaboration, as it is especially important to voyages across the globe.
Fabio Tigani, Carestream’s business development manager for IT in southern Europe, explained that the process adheres to the “highest security standards”.
Mr Tigani noted that the company has collaborated with medical and technical experts to ensure the platform is as efficient as possible.
When you are hundreds of miles away from land, it is understandable to have worries about health issues, particularly if you have been diagnosed with long-term conditions.
How do you feel about this new technology, and do you think more cruise lines will follow suit? Let us know below!
