eHealth in Antarctica: a model ready to be transferred to every-day life

Antarctic expeditions are an important testing area for technology and procedures, such as telemedicine, with analogies for space and other extreme, isolated and remote environments. Telemedicine has also implications in reducing risks and costs related to accidents and health-care in general in Antarctica. During the last 14 years, since the very beginning of Italian Antarctic activities, we have tested many different technological solutions, and set up a link between one of the largest Italian hospitals, San Camillo in Rome, and the principal Italian Antarctic Base at Terra Nova Bay. In this paper, we discuss the road we have travelled in a field with many fast technological changes, and reflect on procedures and protocols. Once we had Health, today we have eHealth.(Int J Circumpolar Health 2004; 63(4):436-442)Keywords: Antarctic, maritime satellites, telemedicine