How a rugged medical tablet is bringing healthcare to the seas

The rugged answer to maritime medical challenges

Challenge

Efficiently provide accurate medical care to remote crews while preventing unnecessary emergency transportation.

Solution

Doctor consultations across long distances bring expertise to the patient instead of the other way around.

Result

Upgraded healthcare at a lower cost leading to a healthier crew, reduced downtime, and a win for everyone involved.

“With real-time video streaming to accompany the transfer of valuable patient data, the rugged data collector enables physicians to perform accurate patient assessments despite barriers of distance and time.”

– Dr. Philip Sotiriades, General Director of Telematic Medical Applications

Mobile healthcare solutions to bridge the ocean

Working at sea can be a tough, punishing job, and crew members face daily risks. In remote locations, nowhere near a medical facility, ensuring the health and well-being of crew members is paramount. Telematic Medical Applications, a pioneer in telemedicine solutions, has developed an innovative solution that bridges the gap between remote crews and doctors, with the help of rugged medical tablets.

With the TMA Telemedicine Case workers on offshore oil ships, cargo fleets, and other vessels can consult with physicians across long distances. It supports a wide range of healthcare efforts, including preventive checkups as well as care for basic illnesses and injuries. However, the rugged data collector’s most important function is to facilitate patient evaluation during emergencies.

Without a qualified physician on-site to determine whether an incident warrants emergency care, the burden of crewmembers’ welfare is often placed on first responders. Consulting experts and sending diagnostics data with the help of the TMA Telemedicine Case, and the Algiz tablet, makes it much easier for the responders to make the right call.

“Virtual consultations with the rugged handheld allow a physician specialist to work in conjunction with first responders and determine which injuries are truly emergent and require costly transportation, and which can be handled on-site,” says Dr. Philip Sotiriades

Robust healthcare solutions require rugged medical tablets

The TMA Telemedicine Case is watertight, crush-proof, and sealed against dust. It’s made to take a beating. But there’s no point in a robust case if the tech inside can’t handle the environment. The Algiz tablet is a fully rugged medical tablet designed specifically for outdoor data collection and mobile communication in tough environments.

The compact Algiz tablet is only 32 millimeters thick and weighs just 1.3 kilograms and still carries an IP65 rating and meets stringent MIL-STD-810G military standards for protection against dust, water, drops, vibrations and extreme temperatures.

Carrying out a physician consultation with the TMA Telemedicine Case is easy and intuitive. When a responding crewmember powers up the Algiz tablet, a workspace appears within AGNES Interactive, a web-based application from AMD Global Telemedicine. This software provides access to more than one thousand physicians, including specialists in offshore occupational medicine.

Medical powerhouse with a compact and portable design

Moving a patient before the consultation can be dangerous due to the risk of neck or spinal injuries. The telemedicine case’s portability also makes the initial trauma assessment safer for patients. The ruggedness of both the case and the tablet helps as well. The responder never has to worry about dropping it and can focus solely on medical care.

“After an incident, it’s difficult for crewmembers to know how to respond and whether to move the patient,” Sotiriades explains. “The TMA Telemedicine Case is completely transportable and self-contained, allowing a thorough assessment wherever the patient is lying.”

The TMA Telemedicine Case is packed with functionality to deliver accurate diagnostics data to the physician. Its equipment can deliver high-quality heart and lung sounds to the expert. This is complemented by data from the EKG, which measures heart activity, and the spirometer, which measures lung function. On top of that it can be configured to include a wide range of additional devices.

The collected data from the devices is processed and transmitted in real-time through the rugged medical tablet and its LTE connectivity. The Algiz tablets dual cameras also enable live video calls as well as the sharing of images. The kit enables accurate evaluation of the patient and makes it much easier for the medical expert to advise crewmembers about treatment and emergency transportation.

Improved healthcare for the crew, Cost savings for the company

Erring on the side of caution leads to well-intended but excessive use of expensive emergency evacuations and the costs will add up quickly for shipping companies. The rugged medical tablet places the decision into the hands of qualified physicians.

Not only will a reliable telemedicine solution provide better and more efficient healthcare for the crew, but it will also cut down on costs. The rugged handheld helps crews perform preventive health checkups, address illnesses before they spread, and treat minor injuries before they become more serious.

The Algiz tablet and the TMA Telemedicine Case are keeping doctors and patients connected, improving patient outcomes. At the same time, it’s cutting healthcare expenses and increasing productivity in some of the toughest environments in the world, proving how important rugged computers can be for safety and healthcare.

How a rugged medical tablet is bringing healthcare to the seas

Challenge

Solution

Result

“With real-time video streaming to accompany the transfer of valuable patient data, the rugged data collector enables physicians to perform accurate patient assessments despite barriers of distance and time.”

Mobile healthcare solutions to bridge the ocean

Robust healthcare solutions require rugged medical tablets

Medical powerhouse with a compact and portable design

Improved healthcare for the crew, Cost savings for the company

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