For the first time in Iran, a telemedicine system has been installed on ISPQ offshore oil and gas platform in Iran's southern Assaluyeh port where Iran and Qatar share South Pars gas field.
The ceremony for the installation was attended by Habibollah Samie, CEO of Petroleum Industry Health Organization (PIHO), Mohammad Meshkinfam, CEO of Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC), and Ali-Reza Moqaddam, CEO of Iranian Oil Pipelines and Telecommunication Company (IOPTC), among senior oil officials.
Addressing the ceremony, Samie offered gratitude to all those who contributed to the launch of telemedicine system, saying: "This system could be seen as one of the best medical facilities of the day in the world."
He said that telemedicine was used for the first time in Iran by PIHO.
"By implementing this plan, Petroleum Industry Health Organization has been pursuing two important objectives, which are giving assurances to the petroleum industry service at any time and place for receiving services and preparing suitable ground for access to medical specialists in remote areas," said Samie.
Underscoring the significance of quantity and quality in healthcare services, he said: "Given important successes achieved in telemedicine in the world, e.g. in distance surgery, our view of this sector is very clear and we hope to be able to equip all operating centers with this system."
"Ever since telemedicine has been launched in different centers, patients' referrals have been reduced and the staff and their families are happy," he said.
"Shorter time needed for referral to healthcare centers and absence of specialists in workplaces like oil platforms are of high significance. One of the most important advantages of telemedicine system on platforms is its contribution to enhanced production," he added.
Physical and Mental Safety in Operating Areas
For his parts, Meshkinfam highlighted the significance of South Pars zone in gas supply, saying: "Currently South Pars accounts for 65% of the country's gas production, which will increase in the near future. Therefore, protecting and guaranteeing the staff's health are taking up added significance."
"As far as oil and gas production is concerned, our efforts are centered on going ahead based on the petroleum industry's strategic plan. Meanwhile we expect that the mental and psychological safety of staff be guaranteed due to hazardous job and living far from their families."
Meshkinfam said that currently 365 people are working on 26 platforms in South Pars. "Fortunately, after the launch of telemedicine, the physical and mental safety of our staff working on offshore platforms is guaranteed and generally speaking we welcome and support any plan in this regard. In the end, a combination of petroleum industry with healthcare would be helpful and effective."
At the event, Moqaddam highlighted the significance of applying such technologies to healthcare services, saying: "Telemedicine is an important project which would be of great help to operating areas like South Pars. This company (IOPTC) plans to provide wider infrastructure for such services."
Telemedicine in 29 Centers
Mohammad-Sadeq Mohstari-Doust, head of the telemedicine unit of PIHO, offered gratitude to IOPTC for its contribution to the installation of telemedicine system.
"This system can communicate through Internet, Intranet and satellite. Given strong and independent telecommunications in the country's petroleum industry, telemedicine communications are currently under way via internet and optical fiber in the country," he said.
Moshtari-Doust said two stages preceding telemedicine installation included polling and feasibility. He added: "Necessary facilities for telemedicine at stage one are communications handled by IOPTC."
He said the objective behind telemedicine system installation was to provide online health-oriented services without any restrictions in time.
"Our objective is to provide welfare for patients who have had to refer to healthcare centers in the city or their transport has been problematic and difficult," he added.
"At this center, to receive medical consultations we can communicate with 28 spots all across the country and receive such information as images, voices and medical data like electrocardiogram, heart and lung sounds, skin lesions, inside eye and ear," said Moshtari-Doust.
"In the near future, we seek to launch ambulance, ICU, CCU and homecare telemedicine systems in order to provide special services," he added.
ISPQ is located 120 kilometers from land.