Inflight Connectivity for Remote Medical Treatment Is Evolving

Aug. 12, 2025

Thanks to the latest developments in high-speed inflight connectivity, it’s now possible for passengers and crew to “see” a doctor no matter where they are, even in the cabin of a business jet above the ocean, thousands of miles from any hospital.

A growing number of business aircraft operators have some form of telemedicine equipment on their aircraft to help with medical emergencies, according to Grant Jeffery, CEO of MD Onboard.

“I think it’s all about risk management,” Jeffery said. “Operators are investing in medical advisory services, equipment and training to protect their passengers in the event of an issue. This equipment gives the flight crew the ability to share vital signs like blood pressure, ECGs, photos and video. Better information helps the medical team on the ground make a more accurate diagnosis.”

Lifesaving health care communications technology is an essential component in business aviation’s vital societal role to provide humanitarian airlift and inflight medical transport whenever and wherever it’s needed.

MD Onboard (a wholly owned subsidiary of Northwell Health) joins a growing number of telemedicine technology providers, including Aircare International and MedAire, to enable accurate, real-time diagnostics and treatment through the aircraft’s connectivity system.

“Cabin connectivity has really changed how operators can respond to inflight emergencies,” Jeffery said. “Prior to its introduction, crews could only try to connect with a medical professional via the aircraft’s radio or satellite phone and then describe the person’s symptoms. There was no way to share actual information.”

Inflight Telehealth Video Now Possible

MD Onboard operates with any air-to-ground or satellite connectivity system. One thing that sets it apart from other options, Jeffery said, is that it’s designed to support two-way live video and chat and will work with any low-bandwidth 128 Kbps system.

“While high-speed broadband opens the door for more significant interactions in some situations, we choose to use the 128 kilobits-per-second channel because there are several thousand aircraft that have the legacy Inmarsat satellite systems,” he explained. “What we have is a solution that these operators can easily adopt without the excessive cost and significant downtime of installing new broadband hardware.”

Jeffrey said no specific hardware is required for MD Onboard to be used on a business jet.

“The only thing our app needs is a wireless router in the cabin and most legacy installations already support this,” he explained. “Then the crew only needs to download our app on their device and connect that to the cabin Wi-Fi system. A simple push of a button, and they are connected to an aviation-trained paramedic.”

Similarly, Aircare International and MedAire also have apps that their customers use to access their variety of real-time, telemedical services.

“I think operators see the cost of the equipment, training and services as a relatively small investment in the bigger context of the impact of an event like this inflight,” Jeffery said. “Obviously, we have the individual’s life as the priority but having real-time dialogue with a trained 911 professional can help the crew make the right decision about a possible diversion to an alternate airport.

“Having the right information is critical to make the right decision for everyone concerned and can help avoid operational risks that you might not need to take,” he continued. “If they need to divert to another airport, we can help them decide on the right one – no sense landing at a rural location with no qualified hospital nearby.”

As an added layer of confidence, Jeffery explained that MD Onboard has a network of emergency-trained, certified multi-lingual technicians available to provide medical translations between the flight crew and the attending physician in more than 240 languages.

“The important thing is getting the most accurate medical diagnosis of the situation as quickly as possible,” he added. “Again, it’s risk management on many levels, and that makes perfect sense from an operator’s perspective.”

Remotely Managing Inflight ICU, Stroke Patients

Another significant benefit of today’s telemedicine offerings is the ability for passengers and crew members to consult with qualified professionals, regardless of their location in the world.

“We’ve worked hard at making it simple. In the event of an illness, accident or medical emergency, with a push of a single button on their connected device, flight crewmembers and passengers are connected to a qualified paramedic representative,” Jeffery said. “Our service has been created to be an integral part of any flight department.”

He also said that while telemedicine capabilities have come a long way in business aviation, it’s only the beginning of what advancing technologies will bring to remote diagnostics and treatment capabilities. MD Onboard recently became the 22nd member of the International Business Aviation Council’s Industry Partner Program.

“When you look at what’s happening in the telehealth world, it’s amazing. You can do tele-ICU, tele-stroke, tele-emergency room management, tele-mental health services,” Jeffery said. “Our parent, Northwell Health, is pushing the capabilities of telemedicine as far as technology will allow us to improve the services we can provide in the most remote locations.”