Thursday, March 13, 2025
Emirates has partnered with Parsys Telemedicine to launch innovative onboard medical technology, investing over USD 2.4 million in the development of state-of-the-art telemedicine equipment. This new setup, which will be installed across 300 aircraft in the coming years, features a revolutionary ‘telemedicine station’ equipped with advanced functionalities like HD video conferencing, remote patient evaluation, secure data transmission, and a 12-lead Telecardia ECG system. This technology empowers Emirates’ cabin crew to provide critical medical interventions during flights.
This collaboration between Emirates and Parsys has yielded a custom-designed inflight medical kit after a year of joint efforts, enhancing efficiency, connectivity, and safety for passengers.
The new system comprises the Parsys Telemedicine Kit and Parsys Cloud, tailored for Emirates. It allows cabin crew to quickly gather and transmit essential medical data to Emirates’ Ground Medical Support, available around the clock at the Emirates Group Headquarters in Dubai. The integrated kit includes a variety of medical tools like a pulse oximeter, thermometer, blood pressure monitor, glucometer, and ECG. An innovative feature of the system is the Medcapture© device, a tablet that facilitates automatic data transmission via Bluetooth, simplifying the monitoring process without manual note-taking.
The Medcapture© tablet is specifically designed with software that complements Emirates’ medical protocols, providing an intuitive interface that cabin crew can efficiently operate under pressure. It enables direct, real-time consultations with ground-based medical experts, enhancing the ability to assess and respond to passenger health issues remotely.
The Parsys Cloud supports seamless communication and data exchange with the inflight crew, ensuring that passenger data is managed securely in compliance with data protection laws.
The Parsys kits have already proven their effectiveness on numerous flights, including a critical incident on a flight to Lyon where they were instrumental in managing a passenger’s severe cardiovascular symptoms.
Emirates prioritizes comprehensive medical training for its cabin crew, who undergo eight weeks of rigorous initial training and continuous yearly updates in medical response, ensuring preparedness for a range of health emergencies. This training regimen is conducted at the Emirates Cabin Crew Training Centre in Dubai, leveraging state-of-the-art simulation technology for practical learning.
In addition to technical skills, the training also covers psychological aspects such as gaining consent, demonstrating empathy, maintaining communication, and managing stress, ensuring that the crew can offer compassionate and competent care in emergencies. The support extends post-incident, with resources like Emirates’ Employee Assistance Programme and the Sehaty wellbeing programme to support crew mental health.
