INFLIGHT HEALTH CARE
DEFIBRILLATORS AND PHYSICIAN’S KITS Qantas has achieved worldwide recognition for its use of inflight cardiac defibrillators. In 1991, the airline was the first in the world to install defibrillators on both its international B747 and B767 aircraft. In 1999, Qantas then set a new standard for Australian domestic aviation medicine, when it installed cardiac defibrillators on all of its B737 aircraft. Defibrillators, which are now installed across the Qantas mainline fleet, enable fast assessment and management of passengers who have had a cardiac arrest. Also on-board Qantas aircraft are extensive physician kits containing medical equipment and medications. Qantas Customer Service Managers undergo a wide-ranging training program to ensure they are confident and capable of using the defibrillator and the physician’s kit in the case of a cardiac emergency onboard.
MEDLINK In October 2000, Qantas helped to set a global standard for the industry when it introduced a new service on international and domestic flights enabling inflight crew to contact on-ground physicians during a medical emergency. Provided by MedLink, the emergency telemedicine centre of MedAire in Phoenix, USA, the service enables direct consultation with certified emergency physicians at any time during a flight almost anywhere in the world. Crew can contact the hospital-based medical service from the aircraft by satellite communications or radio. MedLink communications officers gather basic information on the problem and pass it on to an emergency room physician to talk directly with the crew. The physician can then assess the situation and recommend a management plan for the operating crew on the aircraft, using the physician’s kit if necessary.
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