Guys & St Thomas' - Telemedicine

The development of commercial partnering projects is at an early stage of development, nevertheless the following projects are now at the stage of detailed technical development and negotiation:

Shipping Industry
Support to the shipping industry through the use of remote videoconferencing and vital signs monitoring allied to the Dreadnought Unit located within GST
Countries with “Reciprocal Health Agreements” with UK
Ability to support GST’s increasing tertiary referral business with those States and Countries which have Reciprocal Agreements with the United Kingdom through the use of videoconferencing
Development Priorities
The potential for commercial partnering is increasing as the benefits of telemedicine are being recognised throughout the world. A recent Telemedicine Workshop sponsored by the European Commission highlighted the need for “cross border” partnerships to maximise the opportunities for healthcare providers within Europe.

The Trust is currently involved in a part EU-funded project - INFACE - in conjunction with a number of European countries. Further information can be found at www.inface.net.

A number of potential projects have already been identified as priorities for development effort. These include:

Ministry of Defence
The MoD have several telemedicine services already in place so there is a need to work towards dovetailing services, as GSTT expands its services with the MoD
Airline Industry
With the ever-increasing demand for medical support during long flights the probability of telemedical support for the airline industry offers a potential business opportunity, initially for vital signs monitoring, and as technology improves for videoconferencing support
Middle East Market
Establishment of a network of telemedicine services that can add value to the services we already offer. This service will be managed through the Private Patients Unit