Inmarsat and Cisco Partner to Increase Access to eHealth Services

The Cisco TelePresence VX Clinical Assistant
Image Credit: Cisco

[Via Satellite 08-20-13] Inmarsat, a provider of global mobile satellite communications services, will provide the satellite connectivity needed to make Cisco’s mobile telemedicine system, the Cisco TelePresence VX Clinical Assistant, available in areas with little or no terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure.

The VX Clinical Assistant gives healthcare facilities, such as hospitals and clinics, the ability to interface and collaborate with medical professionals anywhere in the world using Cisco TelePresence to share content and ultimately deliver medical care. The unit enables the delivery of virtual medical care through high definition videoconferencing and real-time transmission of key diagnostics ranging from ultrasounds to blood pressure readings.

Access to quality healthcare continues to be a significant global challenge due to the shortage of skilled medical workers and the lack of healthcare infrastructure in remote and isolated communities. The World Health Organization (WHO) and International Telecommunications Union (ITU) have launched telemedicine-related initiatives to combat non-communicable diseases but these initiatives require fully reliable connectivity to be effective.

“With Cisco’s VX Clinical Assistant and Inmarsat’s connectivity, we will be able to offer a fast, efficient, remote care experience with doctors in real-time without the need to travel to a health facility,” said Wael Abdulal, collaboration manager, Cisco UAE.