port workers and cruise passengers worldwide – announced today that it has
partnered with PositiveID Corporation (NASDAQ: PSID) to offer PositiveID’s
Health Link personal health record (PHR) to approximately one and a half
million seafarers per year on a paid subscription basis. The Company is set
to launch the partnership with a pilot program for up to 1,000 seafarers in
Antwerp, Belgium and Manila, Philippines this month.
Upon successful completion and review of the pilot program, IMMA and
PositiveID will enter into an agreement to provide the Company’s Health Link
PHR to millions of seafarers and port workers per year, on a paid
subscription basis.
Health Link is an electronic, web-based PHR that enables a patient to manage
his or her personal medical information and history from anywhere there is
an internet connection. Health Link, engineered to be interoperable with
Microsoft HealthVault, Google Health and various electronic medical records
systems, connects patients to personalised health education and provides
online connectivity to caregivers and physicians. Through reminders and
alerts that can be tailored to suit an individual’s unique circumstances,
users are reminded of important actions and receive suggestions to better
manage their health. This includes everything from refilling prescriptions
on time and appointment reminders to drug interaction warnings and tips for
preventative actions.
When sailors become ill, they will visit a doctor at their next port of
call. The doctor, typically, does not have access to the sailors’ PEME, nor
does the doctor know the patient’s medical history, and will therefore
conduct a thorough, costly examination prior to prescribing treatment. This
expensive and burdensome repetition of medical procedures can be eliminated
by using Health Link, which stores the sailors initial PEME and subsequent
medical procedures.
As the global trade association for the maritime medical sector, IMMA is the
primary source for medical advice and health services on pre-employment
medical examinations (PEME), which are required for all seafarers before
embarking on any voyage, and provides guidance on the operation of doctors
and hospitals in the major ports of call throughout the world. Its members
provide this all important service to the world’s ship owners, managers and
cruise lines as well as port and terminal operators.
Scott R. Silverman, Chairman and CEO of PositiveID, said: “We believe this
partnership with IMMA is a perfect example of how patient care can be
improved and healthcare costs decreased using our Health Link PHR. By
providing patients and physicians with access to health data anytime,
anywhere, we can overcome many of the inefficiencies of healthcare today. We
believe this relationship holds significant promise, both from a patient and
financial perspective.”
Michael van Hall, President of IMMA, welcomed the move as a major step ahead
in the progression of solid medical treatment for the world’s seafarers. He
said: “Seafarer health has never been as important as it is today and
efficient management of their well- being is essential. A healthy ship is a
profitable ship. I see our relationship with PositiveID as being crucial to
achieving that goal.”
