Emirates boosts onboard Healthcare facilities

UAE: Emirates' onboard healthcare facilities on long-haul flights are now significantly boosted. Emirates' cabin crew can now obtain clinically-accurate vital signs data from a passenger who has taken ill in flight, with the introduction of the new passenger health monitoring system, Tempus, from UK-based Remote Diagnostic Technologies Ltd (RDT).

Tempus records a passengers' blood pressure, pulse rate, temperature, electrocardiogram (ECG), blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.

The data is then sent via the in flight communications system to emergency medical specialists at the Medilink Response Centre in Phoenix, USA, who can diagnose the problem and advise the crew on the best course of action.

Emirates is among three airlines worldwide who have purchased the technology, with a number of others expected to flow suit shortly. Dr. Cliff Webster, Emirates' Senior Vice President Medical Services, said: Emirates takes the health and safety of its passengers very seriously. We are confident that with Tempus our customers will receive the best medical care currently available on board aircraft today.

"The system enables medical teams on the ground to differentiate between a serious and a minor medical condition, which will reassure an ill passenger".

The unit will be fitted into the Airbus A380-800 aircraft and the long-range Boeing 777s currently on order. Founded in 1997 and based out of offices near Basingstoke in the UK, RDT specialises in the development of leading-edge diagnostic devices for use by non-experts in remote locations.

The company has built a strong in-house regulatory, engineering and design capability and has significant experience in medical data transmission off aircraft, backed up by extensive test and performance data.