.
Emirates' new telemedicine medical kit, developed by French telemedicine firm Parsys, aims to help avoid costly flight diversions, which can cost $200,000 or more per diversion. The new system, which Emirates invested $2.4 million to develop, helps monitor essential vital signs and includes a pulse oximeter, thermometer, blood pressure monitor, glucometer, and a 12-lead telecardia electrocardiogram (ECG). Lufthansa and Virgin Atlantic also have a mobile ECG system, called CardioSecur.
Data is securely and automatically transmitted via Bluetooth, without the need for cabin crew to manually record vital signs, to Emirates’ operation room in Dubai, where a team of doctors and medical professionals view high-definition video and can provide advice and treatment plans 24/7.
Previously, Emirates relied on Tempus IC, manufactured by Phillips, which is used by several other major airlines, including regional rivals Qatar Airways and Emirates, as well as Air Canada.
Surprisingly, Emirates and many other airlines still haven't taken other measures that could also help reduce medical diversions caused by anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction:
- Include Epipens (epinephrine auto-injectors) in all in-flight medical kits, rather than vials of epinephrine that have to be titrated and injected by medical professionals (also see Which Airlines Carry Epipens); and
- Eliminate peanuts and tree nuts from all catering, since these are two of the biggest culprits of food-based anaphylactic allergies. Peanuts alone account for over 25% of anaphylactic allergies.
Current FAA data doesn't accurately reflect the number of diversions caused by anaphylaxis; for example, a United flight to Singapore that diverted to Hawaii due to an anaphylactic peanut allergy was never reported to the FAA. Instead, United said that the flight landed in Honolulu as “a precautionary diversion in the best interest of safety” and since no medical emergency was declared, United wasn't required to file a report. Separately, according to Dr. Kimberly Blumenthal, who volunteered to assist with two separate in-flight allergy emergencies, she had to fill out a report on her JetBlue flight, but not on her Delta flight. This leaves the number of in-flight anaphylaxis incidents underreported, at least in the U.S.
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