Radio Medico (RMN) is the Norwegian telemedical maritime assistance service (TMAS) for ships.
Our doctors give guidance on the treatment in case of illness or injuries on board. We also assess whether treatment can be given on board, or if the patient needs to be evacuated.
If evacuation is needed we cooperate closely with the Norwegian Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC). For evacuation outside Norway contact is made through NOR JRCC to local Joint/ Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.
The service is worldwide and available 24/7 in English and Norwegian. Medical advice from RMN is free of charge, and available for all ships independent of the flag they fly. All coastal states are trough international conventions obliged to provide medical advice to ships free of charge.
Radio Medico services should only be contacted when to sea, since seeing a doctor in port will be a better option when this is possible.
The service is contacted trough the Norwegian coastal earth stations. The first contact should be made on telephone. If available on board, mail communications with attachments (picture, ECG etc.) or video may be used if the RMN doctor on call assess it as advantageous for the specific case.
Each year Radio Medico Norway handles 3-4000 consultations with ships all over the world and around 1500 patients is treated. Approximately 200 evacuations to shore are also supported by RMN every year.
Radio Medico Norway is a part of Norwegian Centre for Maritime and Diving Medicine at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen. The hospital has 12000 employees and more than 30 different medical specialities on watch at all times. All specialities are available 24/7 for consultations by the Radio Medico doctor on watch, to be able to give the best assessment and guidance possible about the treatment of the seafarers.
As an additional service we also provide system checks testing you medical preparedness. We also provide the possibility to regularly train with Radio Medico Norway to be able to handle medical emergencies that may occur on board. Contact us for more information.
History
- RMN is one of the oldest maritime tele medical assistance services (TMAS) in the world
- The service was airborne 7th of May 1923, and from the very start it has accepted ships of all flags and been free of charge
- Limits in Radio technology of the time, made it to regional service covering North-East Atlantic in the first years
- From implementation of new Radio technology in 1927, the service has been worldwide
- In 1958 the first international convention concerning nations provision of TMAS was signed
- From 1949 the service was provided more or less by one doctor 24/7 until 1985, still in periods with almost the same number of patients as today
- In 2012 RMN was also the first TMAS service to include video consultations
Director Radio Medico Norway
Agnar Tveten
Telephone +47 411 61 155