Recreational yachting is a great way for families to connect and bond while at sea. Your sailing adventures will develop into lifelong memories that you and your family will cherish.
But even the best trips can sometimes result in life-threatening injuries, whether it's a dangerous gash, a broken bone from a slip and fall, or a serious head injury.
In cases like these, telemedicine equipment is essential in helping you identify the severity of the injury and the proper method of treatment.
While many yachters know about telemedicine kits, few know that they can also help make neurological assessments while at sea. A telemedicine kit can help you reduce the risk of debilitating head injuries by providing you with an accurate diagnosis from a trained medical doctor.
A Real-Life Scenario of a Telemedicine Kit in Use
Head injuries are difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be subtle. An injured loved one may seem fine initially, but their symptoms can quickly worsen if they don’t receive the treatment they need.
This can quickly derail your yachting trip, resulting in a diversion to the nearest port with a suitable hospital. When sailing in remote areas, it may even take you days to reach a medical facility.
Early assessment and treatment can make a difference and reduce the likelihood that an injury develops into a long-term one.
The Smith’s Telemedicine Kit Story
All names have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved in the story.
The Smiths were sailing in the Mediterranean on a family vacation. They were two weeks into a six-week trip when one of the Smith daughters slipped and fell from a ladder onto the deck, striking her head.
Mr. Smith quickly ran over to his daughter, who had a cut on her head and was too dizzy to get up on her own.
He immediately administered first aid on the head wound, had a crew member retrieve their telemedicine kit, and connected with their service provider. Not long after, they were paired up with a doctor who began assessing the child.
Under the instructions from the doctor, Mr. Smith positioned the camera at various angles as the doctor had the daughter perform basic cognitive tests to check her memory, concentration, and recall while finishing up their neurological survey.
The doctor determined that she did not have any neurological damage, assisted them in treating the head wound, and they continued on to enjoy their voyage. The doctor performed a follow-up check on the daughter, and she fully recovered.
Anyone Can be the Smiths – Neurological Injuries Are Unpredictable
You cannot predict when an injury will occur. Life-threatening injuries are even more dangerous when you’re at sea.
A telemedicine kit provides you with access to medical professionals when you need them most. They allow you to communicate with a doctor that’s trained to make complex medical judgments based on observed symptoms.
While the Smith’s daughter did recover from her concussion, there are many cases of injuries that go untreated and develop into long-term injuries and even death.