MSC Cruises offers remote pediatric consultations

MSC Cruises said that it has reached agreement with an Italian specialist to offer 24/7 multilingual pediatric telemedicine consultations, starting Sept. 1.

The service will be provided by Giannina Gaslini Institute in Genoa, Italy.

Telemedicine uses the ship’s satellite communications equipment to connect doctors at sea with specialists on land.

MSC Cruises’ onboard doctors will be able to consult specialist pediatricians at any time to seek a second opinion or carry out procedures such as remote diagnosis, radiology and monitoring.

Genoa-based MSC said it is the first cruise line to offer pediatric telemedicine. Other cruise lines have link-ups with shore-based hospitals, including Princess Cruises, which has an agreement with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., which taps the University of Miami School of Medicine to care for ship-based employees at sea.

MSC cruises CEO Gianni Onorato said the new capability is in addition to other existing services such as teleradiology and teleconsultation.