MSC Cruises has become the first cruise line to offer guests a paediatric telemedicine service onboard.
Techonoogy is being installed across the fleet of 12 ships providing a 24-hour-a-day video conference link to the Giannina Gaslini Insitute in Genoa, Italy.
Once up and running, MSC’s onboard doctors will be able to consult specialist paediatricians at any time to seek a second opinion or carry our remote diagnosis, radiology and monitoring.
MSC Cruises chief executive, Gianni Onorato, 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 help and treatment quite different from other age groups.
“We’re really excited about this collaboration, which is particularly aimed at our family cruises.”
Director General of the Gaslini Institute, Paolo Petralia, added: “The expertise of our specialists is being made available beyond the walls of the Gaslini for the first time. This enables onboard doctors to confirm their diagnoses and treatments using a cutting-edge system of remote image and data transmission.
“The partnership reaffirms the Gaslini Institute’s commitment to offer the best care everywhere while developing the most advanced and efficient means of care and information technology.”
The line said the onboard telemedicine technology is managed by Carestream, which has developed a platform to enable requests for distance consultation to be made easily from the remotest locations.