Telemedical Maritime Assistance Service at the University Center of Maritime and Tropical Medicine in Gdynia. The analysis of 6 years of activity
Background In the 1960s, the International Labour Organization passed a convention under which all countries with national shipping were obliged to create a 24-h telemedicine center for ships. In accordance with the convention, Telemedical Assistance Service centers were to provide permanent access...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Medycyna Pracy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.journalssystem.com/medpr/TMAS-Maritime-Telemedical-Assistance-Service-at-the-University-Centre-of-Maritime,112887,0,2.html |
| Summary: | Background
In the 1960s, the International Labour Organization passed a convention under which all countries with national
shipping were obliged to create a 24-h telemedicine center for ships. In accordance with the convention, Telemedical Assistance Service
centers were to provide permanent access to medical advice given by qualified doctors and to create an international platform
for the exchange of information and experience. In Poland, the Telemedical Maritime Assistance Service (TMAS) was established
in 2012, and its duties in a 24-h system are carried out by doctors from the University Center of Maritime and Tropical Medicine
(UCMTM) in Gdynia. The aim of this work was to determine the reasons for medical officers reporting for help from the TMAS
doctor on duty and to create a database of the most common diagnoses and actions undertaken, and in particular evacuation.
Material and Methods
In the presented work, the authors analyzed TMAS telephony and e-mail advice provided by doctors of the
UCMTM in Gdynia, in the period from October 2012 to the end of 2018.
Results
In the 6-year period, UCMTM doctors provided
TMAS advice 225 times, recommending evacuation in over 20% of these cases. Infectious diseases were the most common cause of
contact in the entire period under analysis – 61 cases were recorded, accounting for as many as 27% of all applications. Injuries were
the second most frequent reason for seeking help from TMAS, and 20% of TMAS applications (44 cases) were related to trauma.
Conclusions
The obtained data show that TMAS doctors face various medical problems; therefore, providing proper medical assistance
to patients requires a close multidisciplinary cooperation between medical officers, TMAS doctors and emergency services.
Med Pr. 2020;71(2):121–5 |
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| ISSN: | 0465-5893 2353-1339 |