Search Results

NASA flight surgeons have routinely relied on telemedicine to augment inflight medical care since the Gemini program. The current telemedicine capability aboard the Space Shuttle is limited to two-way voice communication, one-way video, and telemetry of ECG and spacecraft parameters. This capability has been sufficient to manage the routine minor medical problems that have occurred in-flight, but long-duration Space Shuttle and International Space Station missions are likely to be accompanied by more serious medical contingencies. In the event of emergent crew health problems, NASA flight surgeons will require an improved capability to provide a rapid, accurate assessment of an ill or injured crewmember. Onboard systems will supply flight surgeons and medical specialty consultants with real-time voice communication, medical video, and data.

During Space Shuttle missions, telemedicine is used daily to ensure the health and productivity of the crew. NASA has incorporated telemedicine into routine space operations since the beginning of the space program, utilizing its experience in advanced satellite communications to assist in providing terrestrial health care during several telemedicine projects. Telemedicine is a technology with promise for improving access to health care on Earth, and numerous terrestrial telemedicine programs are currently underway. NASA and the terrestrial health care community have important roles to play in telemedicine technology development, and each stand to benefit greatly from the other's telemedicine experiences.

The practice of space medicine is fraught by several unique challenges, including limitations in spacecraft resources and limited medical training opportunities. The great distance separating the astronauts from their doctors on Earth further confounds managing their health. NASA uses computer and telecommunication technology to bridge this distance and practice telemedicine. Since the beginning of the U.S. space program, NASA flight surgeons have relied on two-way radio communication and limited biomedical telemetry to remotely assist the crew in managing crew health matters. More recently, the capability for bi-directional video transmission was added, to enable the crew to speak virtually face-to-face with their doctors. However, for the International Space Station (ISS), additional capabilities must be provided. This paper presents a vision for delivering telemedicine in the ISS era.