Discovery Channel and Big Wave Media Gear Up With Dictum Health and AT&T for Shark Week in the Bahamas

CAT ISLAND, Bahamas, July 19, 2018 (Newswire.com) - Dictum Health's Virtual Exam Room (VER) and VER-MEDIC set sail on the set of Discovery Channel's new flagship show "Sharkwrecked." The series follows two extreme survival-expert shark conservationists on the ultimate test of survival - drifting for 48 hours without water, food or sleep through some of the world's sharkiest waters.

A top paramedic team on board used the VER-MEDIC to conduct clinical exams, monitoring vitals, ECG, temperature, heart rate, skin health, glucose levels and pain. Using the global AT&T* network, medics were able to stay in touch with a remote physician through the Virtual Exam Room (VER) for any major emergencies.

Dictum Health's VER-MEDIC unit was the key piece of equipment to use in the differential between a legit dive emergency such as decompression sickness or decompression illness versus a simple ear squeeze. This piece of equipment made all the difference in the world.

Mike Hudson, Dive Safety Supervisor for Discovery Channel and Citizen Pictures

"Our paramedic team has an extreme challenge to safely monitor the health of our entire team, from the safety of divers to the show's participants - and all from a remote location,” said Nick Stringer, producer and director at Big Wave Productions, award-winning wildlife and adventure documentary makers. “It was brilliant to have the bright yellow VER-MEDIC to bring healthcare into the most extreme environments. We've been waiting for something like this for a long time -  the paramedic team now has the capability to remotely monitor the health of the team engaged in risky missions.”

Mike Hudson, dive safety supervisor for Discovery Channel and Citizen Pictures, has worked as a medic on Shark Week for 14 years. Hudson noted this was the first time he has had modern telehealth equipment in one compact unit that could withstand against the harsh working marine environment.

"I had a sick diver with a bad ear squeeze that caused some severe nausea and vomiting," Hudson said. “Dictum Health's VER-MEDIC unit was the key piece of equipment to use in the differential between a legit dive emergency such as decompression sickness or decompression illness versus a simple ear squeeze. This piece of equipment made all the difference in the world.”

During this mission, sharks were not the only threat. Alone in open water, the divers endured 90-degree weather during the day followed by plummeting temperatures at night. The risks of dehydration, hypothermia and drowning were real. Having a clinical medical device to safely monitor the divers became crucial. 

"Delivering healthcare in the face of danger ... It was an exciting opportunity to work with the paramedic team to ensure the VER-MEDIC would meet their unique challenges to monitor the health of the 'Sharkwrecked' divers and to have immediate access to a remote emergency physician if they needed it," said Elizabeth Keate, vice president of product management at Dictum Health. "Bringing AT&T IoT together with VER-MEDIC is redefining healthcare delivery far beyond the emergency room to provide healthcare in the most extreme scenarios."

Facing a multitude of environments on and off the water, patients had access to a full clinic through the Virtual Exam Room. They could receive the same clinical accuracy of an in-hospital exam from a remote physician in a clinical setting.

“Our customers like Dictum Health rely on us to deliver IoT connectivity wherever they need to be. Even if that means the shark-infested waters of the Bahamas,” said Chris Penrose, president, Internet of Things (IoT) Solutions at AT&T. “Being part of Shark Week and connecting Dictum Health’s VER product shows how IoT solutions can be mission critical. When diving with sharks, the ability to have near-instant health data can be the difference between life and death.”  

"Sharkwrecked" was filmed on location by Big Wave Productions in the waters of Cat Island, Bahamas. It is one of the last refuges for the endangered Oceanic Whitetip, a shark said to be responsible for hundreds of deaths of shipwrecked survivors during WW2. "Sharkwrecked" premieres July 26 at 9 p.m. EST on Discovery Channel. To learn more about IoT’s potential to transform business, go to att.com/iot. To learn more about VER-MEDIC and other Virtual Exam Room products, visit Dictum Health.  

About Big Wave Productions
Big Wave makes award-winning science, wildlife, history and adventure programs for broadcasters worldwide. We're passionate about what we do and regularly take on blue sky, highly ambitious projects. Our shows often make real change such as transforming laws and generating new scientific revelation which makes us really proud. We work with the world’s leading scientists and conservationists and have won more than 80 awards and nominations for our work.

Contact Big Wave Productions
Tel: 01243 532531
Email: [email protected]

About Mike Hudson
Mike is a highly experienced, mobile intensive care paramedic, dive rescue paramedic and EMS instructor specializing in providing care in unique and austere environments. Mike has worked on Shark Week for 14 years and as an Ocean Rescue specialist paramedic for the last 20 years. For the first time, Mike used a state-of-the-art, remote medical monitoring system provided by Dictum Health to monitor the divers' vital signs. 

Contact Mike Hudson
Website: seabrightoceanrescue.com 
Email: Sea Bright Ocean Rescue Captain
Tel: +1 (970) 673 3754

About AT&T Communications
We help family, friends and neighbors connect in meaningful ways every day. From the first phone call more than 140 years ago to mobile video streaming, we innovate to improve lives. We have the nation’s largest and most reliable network and the nation’s best network for video streaming.** We’re building FirstNet just for first responders and creating next-generation mobile 5G. With DIRECTV and DIRECTV NOW, we deliver entertainment people love to talk about. Our smart, highly secure solutions serve over three million global businesses – nearly all of the Fortune 1000. And worldwide, our spirit of service drives employees to give back to their communities.

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Contact AT&T  
Lori Bachovchin
AT&T Public Relations  
Phone: 732-208-0346  
Email: [email protected]   

About Dictum Health
Experts in mobile, cloud and clinical sciences, Dictum Health is transforming the way telehealth is delivered by leveraging innovation and quality to provide the Next Evolution in the Continuum of Care. Our solutions give physicians the means to treat, consult, monitor and manage even their most at-risk patients from virtually anywhere, anytime. For more information, visit www.dictumhealth.com.

Contact Dictum Health
Taryn Smith, Director of Marketing
Tel: 510.990.3153
Email: [email protected]

Source: Dictum Health