Satmed

Satmed (or SATMED) is a satellite-based eHealth communications platform, in particular for provision of eHealth to remote, resource-poor areas of emerging and developing countries. It aims to provide services to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that provide healthcare, education or health management services, governmental organisations that support regional development programs and humanitarian operations, and institutions such as medical universities, hospitals and health management institutions.

Satmed was formed to address the problem that in many remote regions of developing countries there is not only a significant lack of facilities and trained health professionals, but also no communications infrastructure to remote villages (and so no access to eHealth), or even a reliable electricity supply. Satellite broadband technology is often the only solution, and one that can provide a fast connection over a vast coverage area. Satmed provides the satellite connectivity and integrates a wide range of capabilities in a single platform, including access and storage of patient e-records, medical imaging, virtual consultation, e-learning, remote monitoring and e-health management and video conferencing..The cloud-based system reduces the need for expensive on-the-ground ICT resources and their maintenance.[1]

Satmed is funded by the Luxembourg government and the medical arm of emergency.lu, the disaster recovery communications platform created to improve the rapid response capabilities of rescue teams in areas hit by severe natural or human-made catastrophes, itself a public-private partnership between Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SES S.A., HITEC Luxembourg S.A. and Luxembourg Air Ambulance S.A.

Satmed is in a pilot phase for the design and evolution of the platform, with satellite terminal equipment and the software platform deployed to partner organisations, including NGOs, hospitals, medical universities, and other health care providers that are active in areas of Bangladesh, Benin, Eritrea, Guinea, the Philippines, and Sierra Leone.

Services

Satmed can provide:

History

The Satmed platform was conceived by SES TechCom, the engineering services division of satellite operator SES, and supported by the Luxembourg Government and the Minister for Cooperation and Humanitarian Action, and five Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) – Archemed, Fondation Follereau, Friendship, German Doctors and Médecins Sans Frontières. The European ESTHER alliance, a Europe-wide network of Governments for the networking of health professionals and associations in their fight against AIDS, is also involved in the project through its German branch.[2]

In September, SES announced that it had become a member of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), and at the 2014 CGI Annual Meeting announced its Commitment to Action in the form of the Satmed platform.[3]

The Satmed pilot phase was originally intended to start in mid-2015, but the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa meant that programme was brought forward and Satmed was first deployed in Sierra Leone in support of the fight against Ebola in November 2014.[4]

Projects

Sierra Leone

During the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014, Satmed, in conjunction with German Doctors brought internet access to the Outpatient Clinic of Serabu Hospital in Bo District in Sierra Leone. The hospital provides health services to six chiefdoms with an estimated population of 60,000-70,000 and the clinic sees approximately 100 patients per day but is geographically isolated with no access to higher level secondary care. Satmed enabled the community to stay in contact with the medical staff, to gather data about the disease spread, to implement prevention measures, and to provide e-learning teaching sessions and remote consultancy.[4][1][5]

Bangladesh

In March 2016 Satmed deployed VSATs on floating hospital ships to provide healthcare services to the 'Char dwellers' on sediment islands in the rivers of Bangladesh. Three ships belonging to NGO, Friendship were equipped – Lifebuoy Friendship Hospital, Emirates Friendship Hospital and Rongdhonu Friendship Hospital (formerly Rainbow Warrior II).

Connectivity by satellite (otherwise unavailable to the islands) enables staff to share medical records across the three hospital ships, to synchronise information at the headquarters in Dhaka, and to use Satmed’s e-learning tools in the Friendship teaching centre.[6][7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Gerhard Bethscheider Satellite is vital for a unified, global, E-Health system September 2015 World Teleport Association. Accessed January 28, 2016
  2. ↑ "SES PARTNERS FOR E-MEDICINE PLATFORM SATMED" (Press release). SES. May 27, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  3. ↑ Caleb Henry SES Joins Clinton Global Initiative, Announces SATMED ProjectSeptember 25, 2014 Satellite Today. Accessed January 28, 2016
  4. 1 2 "EHealth platform helps fight Ebola (German)" (PDF) (Press release). German Doctors. November 5, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  5. ↑ Projects: Sierra Leone – Serabu Satmed website. Accessed April 27, 2015
  6. ↑ SES deploys Satmed e-Health platform on three Friendship floating hospitals in Bangladesh March 8, 2015. Hospital Management.net. Accessed April 27, 2015
  7. ↑ "SES DEPLOYS SATMED E-HEALTH PLATFORM AND LAUNCHES FIRST MARITIME VSATS ON FRIENDSHIP FLOATING HOSPITALS IN BANGLADESH" (Press release). SES. March 7, 2016. Retrieved April 27, 2016.

External links

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