South Korea to Launch Telemedicine for Deep-Sea Crew Members

Key Takeaways

Telemedicine services will be provided to 4,500 deep-sea vessel crews.
The initiative will utilize satellite telecommunications.
Partnership with Pusan National University Hospital established in 2015.
Over 109,312 telemedicine consultations provided in 10 years.
Focus on chronic diseases and emergency response training.

Seoul, March 30 (NationPress) South Korea is set to advance a project aimed at delivering telemedicine services to 4,500 crew members aboard deep-sea vessels utilizing satellite telecommunications, as reported by the oceans ministry on Sunday.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries highlighted numerous instances of delayed treatment for deep-sea vessel crews during emergencies and various medical conditions, according to the Yonhap news agency.

In an effort to address this issue, the government collaborated with Pusan National University Hospital's maritime medical research center in 2015, which has led to the provision of 109,312 telemedicine consultations to deep-sea vessel crews over the past decade, the ministry noted.

In the previous year alone, the government facilitated 24,026 telemedicine cases for 180 deep-sea vessels.

This initiative will educate crew members on how to handle emergency situations and provide consultations for chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, according to the ministry.

Last year, South Korea conducted a virtual meeting with the United States to enhance mutual insights into their respective telemedicine sectors and explore potential collaborations.

The meeting involved around 30 companies from both nations and followed the South Korea-U.S. Supply Chain and Commercial Dialogue (SCCD) held in March, as per the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy.

The SCCD is a periodic ministerial forum focused on promoting resilient supply chains for essential products, including semiconductors, batteries, and critical minerals.

This event was timely, given the anticipated surge in demand for mobile-based telemedicine services due to the rapidly aging population.

“South Korea holds significant potential in the digital health sector supported by its extensive clinical data and advanced information technology,” stated an official from the industry ministry.

“The ministry aims to promote the commercialization of relevant products and services while nurturing experts to build a robust industrial ecosystem for the digital health sector,” the official added.