From better scanners at airports to smart watches and phones, advances in technology have improved safety for people who travel far from home. Technology also can help people stay healthy, allowing them to better monitor vital signs and medical conditions. And in the event of an emergency, pocket-sized and wearable devices can help travelers share vital information, stay in contact with family members, and communicate with a patient transport service, if necessary.
A focus on airport safety is bringing advances in screening technology and tools. For example, airports in the United Kingdom use non-invasive radio-wave technology, instead of x-ray machines, to detect a range of potential threats. At the Schipol Airport in Amsterdam, security officials use technology based on hospital CT machines to perform thorough scanning. The process is so thorough that passengers aren’t required to remove laptops or liquids from carry-on bags.
Smartphone technology offers a myriad of ways to help travelers stay safe and healthy. Travel apps, such as TripLingo, provide a voice translator for emergency phrases in the language of the country a traveler is visiting and can even connect to a live translator. Google offers a free translator that is rapidly improving in its accuracy, but does not offer voice or live translation services.
People who own an Apple Watch have access to an easy to use SOS function. By holding down the side button on the watch, wearers can contact 911 or the in-country equivalent. The watch will share basic medical information with first responders and locate next of kin. Alternatives are apps that can direct travelers to the nearest hospital and provide their phone numbers.
A free app developed by college students, called Companion, allows one contact to follow a person in real time and checks in periodically to ask the person if they are OK. This can be helpful to people who are walking alone in an unfamiliar city.
Wearable devices such as exercise trackers are tools that travelers can use to stay healthy while away from home. They typically have built-in heart rate and pulse monitors to monitor basic vital signs. Some are equipped with GPS navigation and tracking, which can be helpful in the event a traveler becomes loss or suffers an accident.
Smartphones also can be used to help travelers stay healthy. They can be easily programmed to give an auditory medication reminder so travelers don’t have to figure out time-zone differences. For long-term travel, travelers should talk to a physician about adjusting medication schedules, when necessary.
Travelers who must carry medication or medical supplies in checked bags may want to purchase a luggage tracker. When packed in a checked bag, the tracker sends notifications by text or email when it has reached an airport and will put itself to sleep during a long flight.
Using Technology to Communicate with A Patient Transport Service
Of course, technology also can be vital to help families stay in touch with medical staff or first responders if a traveler is injured or becomes seriously ill. It also can be used to arrange for a patient transport service to help the traveler arrive home in safety and comfort, and to keep the traveler’s family informed every step of the way.
SentinelMED is a patient transport service that provides domestic and international medical transport, medical repatriation, and medical escort services. We communicate closely with medical staff, travelers and their families to arrange and manage all the details required for door-to-door medical care and transportation. Our trained medical escorts are carefully selected for each patient to match their identified health care needs as well as any language or cultural concerns.
The SentinelMED team understands the complexity of delivering exceptional care to patients who need assistance during travel. Please contact us to learn more about the services that SentinelMED offers or its staff.
