[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Nautilus International announced that it has teamed up with Martek Marine to launch a survey exploring the provision and effectiveness of healthcare services onboard seafaring vessels. Specifically,the survey is calling on all seafarers to give their views on the accessibility and quality of medical assistance on board their vessels.Maritime professionals are invited to contribute past experiences of medical emergencies and suggest what new provisions would make them feel safer at sea. Martek has also given all participants the opportunity to be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win a free Fitbit Blaze upon completion.
This survey will help fill a void of knowledge in the area of maritime healthcare. Close to 1.5 million seafarers are operating at any giventime on around 55,000 merchant vessels worldwide. Each year, approximately 7% of these will be evacuated from the vessel they are working on due to ill health; often at great financial cost.The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) states that all ships carrying over 100 crew members and passengers for voyages of three days or more must have a medical doctor onboard. However, the majority of merchant vessels are crewed by fewer than 25 people and subsequently rely on assistance from professionals on land.Martek Marine has recently launched its own telemedicine offering, iVital, to bridge the gap between medical provisions on land and at sea.iVital combines state-of-the-art medical monitoring equipment with 24/7 access to a team of experienced medical professionals on shore.With access to live vital signs, the patient’s full medical history and a high definition video stream, consultants can assess ill or injured crew members and make accurate diagnoses and informed decisions on necessary actions.Chief executive of Martek Marine Paul Luen said: ‘Crew safety is of paramount importance to us and forms a large part of our work.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
