Wikipedia
Satmed (or SATMED) is a satellite-based eHealth communications platform, in particular for provision of eHealth to remote, resource-poor areas of emerging and developing countries. It aims to provide services to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that provide healthcare, education or health management services, governmental organisations that support regional development programs and humanitarian operations, and institutions such as medical universities, hospitals and health management institutions.
Satmed was formed to address the problem that in many remote regions of developing countries there is not only a significant lack of facilities and trained health professionals, but also no communications infrastructure to remote villages (and so no access to eHealth), or even a reliable electricity supply. Satellite broadband technology is often the only solution, and one that can provide a fast connection over a vast coverage area. Satmed provides the satellite connectivity and integrates a wide range of capabilities in a single platform, including access and storage of patient e-records, medical imaging, virtual consultation, e-learning, remote monitoring and e-health management and video conferencing..The cloud-based system reduces the need for expensive on-the-ground ICT resources and their maintenance.
Satmed is in a pilot phase for the design and evolution of the platform, with satellite terminal equipment and the software platform deployed to partner organisations, including NGOs, hospitals, medical universities, and other health care providers that are active in areas of Bangladesh, Benin, Eritrea, Guinea, Niger, the Philippines, and Sierra Leone.
For its pilot phase, Satmed is funded by the Luxembourg government and the medical arm of emergency.lu, the disaster recovery communications platform created to improve the rapid response capabilities of rescue teams in areas hit by severe natural or human-made catastrophes, itself a public-private partnership between Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SES S.A., HITEC Luxembourg S.A. and Luxembourg Air Ambulance S.A., and the platform has been developed by SES subsidiary, SES TechCom Services and Berlin-based telemedicine technology company, e-Medical Communication. The budget of the 2013-2016 pilot phase is 4.5million euros.