Bouygues Telecom and H4D install the first telemedicine pod connected with 5G

A technological breakthrough developing the use of telemedicine in the community and in companies

04/06/2021

Bouygues Telecom and H4D present the first 5G-connected telemedicine pod. Installed in the offices of Bouygues Telecom in France, it provides access to remote medical examinations for all the company’s employees. This pod is one of the first examples of how the new fifth generation mobile phone technology can benefit the healthcare industry. Bouygues Telecom and H4D are carrying out their shared ambition to develop the use of telemedicine and 5G for the benefit of as many people as possible.

 

Telemedicine has been in development for several years now and the current health crisis has increased its usage. While 4G allowed telemedicine to shine, 5G transforms it making it accessible to a larger number of people.

 

For Bouygues Telecom, the telemedicine pod is a concrete example of the application of 5G; thanks to technological progress (flow, latency), it allows data to be transmitted without the need to install heavy infrastructure (fibre, secure networks, etc.) while maintaining optimal quality of service (downstream and upstream flows).

 

H4D, a pioneer in clinical telemedicine with their product the Consult Station®, the first connected doctor’s office, has more than doubled the number of installations and patient usage in communities and hospitals since March 2020.

 

H4D has already installed more than 50 telemedicine pods in town halls within various French communities. The arrival of 5G connected pods will further accelerate this development and provide better quality and accessible healthcare for all.

 

5G bringing healthcare closer to the people

This new advance in technology will enable many local authorities to provide their citizens with access to care closer to home through telemedicine. 5G allows for a quick and easy installation, ensuring a high-speed connection guaranteeing the quality of the telemedicine service.

 

“Today it is necessary and possible to find a reliable solution to ‘medical deserts’. The aim is to guarantee closer care for patients and to strengthen the local healthcare systems by also helping doctors in their daily practice. The Consult Station®, while respecting the conditions of confidentiality between patient and doctor, enables a reliable clinical examination to be carried out remotely and thus becomes a key element in the healthcare offer. Making our technology even more accessible and reliable thanks to 5G confirms our ambition to develop sustainable healthcare projects and to offer patients and doctors a unique experience, through the provision of high-definition and secure consultations,” explains Dr. Baudino, President of H4D.

 

5G to simplify the deployment of telemedicine booths in offices

Installing a Consult Station® on company premises has become even easier and faster thanks to 5G as it is no longer necessary to connect it to the company’s internal network, which can be time-consuming and costly. In addition, 5G provides greater security, both for the company whose network remains separate and for the patient whose data remains completely confidential as it is transmitted over an independent network to that of the employer.

 

“5G is becoming a reality for companies, local authorities and citizens, who will be able to benefit from its advantages. This first 5G-connected teleconsultation booth is a perfect illustration of the benefits of 5G for society as a whole on such an essential issue as health, and we are proud to contribute to it,” says Benoit Torloting, Managing Director of Bouygues Telecom.

 

How the Consult Station® works   

The Consult Station® makes it possible to carry out teleconsultations with a doctor via videoconference. The doctor can, using various medical tools in the booth and connected to his computer, perform a clinical examination, make a remote diagnosis and, if he deems it necessary, issue a prescription.

The solution also allows a check-up to be carried out independently (weight, height, BMI, temperature, saturation, blood pressure, heart rate, etc.), through a video tutorial. At the end of the check-up, the patient receives a report with the measurements taken.