Telemedicine in Extreme Conditions: Supporting the Martin Strel Amazon Swim Expedition

摘要

Telemedicine was applied during Slovenian Martin Strel’s historic swim of the entire Amazon River from high in the Andes to Belém, Brazil. A team of physicians and technical experts both local (on the boat) and through telemedicine provided around-the-clock medical monitoring. This is a summary of that mission, how telemedicine was accomplished, and how it influenced a growing interest in telemedicine in remote villages along the river and its tributaries in the countries where the Amazon traverses.