Lufthansa makes mobile ECG available on long-haul fleet

June 6, 2019: Lufthansa has equipped all its long-haul aircraft with the mobile ECG (Electrocardiogram) system CardioSecur for better handling of medical emergencies on board. CardioSecur weighs 50 grams and is developed and distributed by Personal MedSystems GmbH.

The compact, intuitive system will allow flight attendants without cardiological expertise to record an ECG for passengers and send the test results directly to a medical hotline on the ground.

"The health of our passengers is very close to our hearts. Especially when they are feeling unwell on board, they should know that they are in good hands with Lufthansa. The results of the resting ECG conducted directly onboard the aircraft provide a better basis for deciding whether it is necessary to divert a plane in order to provide medical care on the ground in case of medical emergencies," said Dr Sven-Karsten Peters, a cardiologist with the Lufthansa Medical Service.

It consists of an app on the flight attendant's Cabin Mobile Device (mini iPad) and a small bag with an ECG cable and four disposable electrodes. If a passenger complains of heart trouble, the system can record an ECG in a few short steps: First, the flight attendant establishes an internet connection via the FlyNet WiFi network on the Cabin Mobile Device and starts the app. The crew then connects the ECG cable to the four electrodes and places them on the upper body of the unwell passenger. The app records a 12-lead ECG; additional parameters such as the patient's age, weight, gender, blood pressure and oxygen saturation are captured manually.

The airline also offers a medical travel assistance service in cooperation with the service provider Medical Travel Companion. The programme offers different packages and passengers can choose to book either a nurse, a paramedic or a doctor to care of them during their entire flight.