A vessel at sea. A crew member ten thousand miles from a hospital.
In operation since 1989, Maritime Medical Access (MMA) provides a vital service to render appropriate telemedical care to shipping vessels, aircraft, yachts, and teams in remote locations worldwide.
In operation since 1989, Maritime Medical Access (MMA) provides a vital service to render appropriate telemedical care to shipping vessels, aircraft, yachts, and teams in remote locations worldwide. We provide on-call physician support, clinical case management, repatriation, training, and recommendations for medical equipment and medicine chests, all through one central 24/7 command center.
When an accident or serious illness occurs at sea, expert medical help may be thousands of miles away. However, having satellite or mobile links to our emergency medicine physicians ensures high-quality, continuous care no matter where you are in the world. For 30 years, Maritime Medical Access has been committed to the provision of integrated medical solutions to maximize the quality of medical care and contain the cost of care for the maritime community.
When you call, email, or initiate a video conference, you will be connected to our Worldwide Emergency Communications Center (WECC), where you’ll be greeted by a medically trained operator who will collect basic information about your medical emergency. When help could be hours, days, or even weeks away and the cost and logistics of diversion can be significant, our help is only minutes away — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
You will then be connected to one of our board-certified emergency medicine physicians. All of our emergency physicians have special interests in maritime, aviation, or remote medicine and many have personal maritime experience. They understand that prior training, equipment availability, and transit time to more definitive care are highly variable, and they will work with you to develop a care plan that is compatible with your specific resources and needs.
Complex cases in need of follow-up will go on our daily case-management list, and you will have ongoing access to physicians who will re-assess the situation and provide updated recommendations. If specialty care is needed, our emergency physicians can add specialists from over 50 medical specialties to the team. If diversion or evacuation is required, we assist with the medical logistics to direct you toward a port where care is available. We can also provide medically chaperoned repatriations if a crew member needs to return to the United States for further care.
Experience, access, and the depth of an academic medical center.
We have been in operation for over 30 years. All cases are managed by our board-certified emergency medicine physicians, all of whom have a specific interest in maritime, aviation, or remote medicine. Our emergency physicians handle thousands of maritime encounters every year.
Our physicians are available 24/7/365, and are always one phone call, email, or video conference away.
The injured or ill party and the physician communicate directly and can see each other face to face from anywhere in the world on videoconference-equipped vessels. This affords the patient and the medical provider the opportunity to establish a personal connection.
We are the only service of this kind at a large US-based academic medical center. Our clients have access to the broad resources of The GW Medical Faculty Associates, including over 700 physicians in more than 50 medical specialties.
We make all efforts to connect with the technology you already have in place so there is no need to invest in new and expensive equipment. If you need to purchase new technology, we can guide you to cost-effective, long-term solutions.
Our academic focus drives us to constantly review cases and research ways to improve care in remote locations. Our experience will help you to be better stocked, better trained, and better prepared to manage a medical emergency should one arise.
All board-certified. All with maritime, aviation, or remote-medicine focus.
Maritime Medical Access delivers seamless communications and operations support through our Worldwide Emergency Communications Center (WECC). The WECC is staffed by medical providers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and provides a central hub from which to access our services. Communications with the WECC may be initiated by telephone, email, or videoconference.
Maritime Medical Access has partnered with DigiGone to integrate their video conferencing platform at our Worldwide Emergency Communications Center. DigiGone’s platform gives our operators and physicians the ability to communicate with clients using a simple, low-bandwidth compatible digital telemedicine solution. Communications are encrypted and HIPAA compliant and support 2-way or multi-party video, audio, text message, or file transfer, including patient vital signs and EKG.
Video conferencing can be initiated worldwide, anywhere an internet connection can be established, from an appropriately equipped vessel. This access is unparalleled in the industry and provides our clients with assurance that their sick or injured mariner is receiving the best possible care using a platform that keeps air-time costs low.
Talk to our team about coverage for your fleet, contract staffing, or a specific medical situation currently underway.