A 19-year-old studying in the USA complained of fever and a sore throat.

He was worried. Was it serious? Should he take antibiotics? How could he revise for his exams?

He contacted the MFO doctor, who was familiar with the patient’s medical dossier. He asked some questions and diagnosed pharyngitis, probably of bacterial origin. He prescribed appropriate antibiotic treatment and advised the patient to take anti-inflammatory drugs and paracetamol alternately to reduce the temperature and pain.

The doctor monitored the patient continuously until recovery.

A 42-year-old diabetic woman, who had previously suffered from a broken right ankle, twisted her foot one Sunday morning while jogging. When she got home the ankle was swollen and painful.

She was worried. Was it broken? Should she have the ankle x-rayed that day? Could she walk normally? Should she cancel the dinner with friends?

The situation was assessed by the MFO doctor. He prescribed ice and anti­-inflammatory drugs to soothe the pain and reduce the swelling.

The patient was able to walk and decided to have her ankle x-rayed the following day.

A 35-year-old woman cruising on a private yacht was stung by an unknown animal while swimming off the Solomon Islands. She was in great pain and had local swelling.

She was worried. Was it serious? What could she take to soothe the pain and stop it getting worse?

Should they come home?

She called MFO. The emergency doctor assessed the situation by asking precise questions and examining the patient by video conference. He gave her first-aid advice (immobilisation, shade, calm) and prescribed the appropriate treatment (painkillers and anti-allergy drugs) contained in the medical bag.The treatment was continuously adjusted thanks to telemedicine module and close monitoring of the vital parameters. The doctor, who was in permanent contact with the patient, saw that the condition was getting worse and therefore prescribed cortisone and adrenalin by injection.

The patient was monitored until the symptoms disappeared.

A 10-year-old child on holiday with his family on a Pacific island was suddenly afflicted with severe diarrhoea and vomiting. He could not eat or drink.

The parents were worried. How to prevent dehydration? Was it serious?

The MFO emergency doctor assessed the situation and diagnosed infectious gastroenteritis with serious risk of dehydration.

He explained how to administer first aid (cooling, rest) and prescribed anti-nausea and anti-diarrhoea drugs from the medical bag and also a treatment for dehydration. He monitored the patient and was able to reassure the parents and gradually bring about a recovery within the following 48 hours.

A 48-year-old man travelling on business in Africa suddenly had abdominal pain and cramps, nausea and vomiting. He had a known allergy to penicillin but was otherwise in good health.

He was worried. Was it serious? Hospital or hotel doctor? Were they reliable? Was it appendicitis? Would they have effective drugs? Would he be fit for the very important meeting the following day?

He spoke directly with the MFO emergency doctor who was familiar with his medical history. The doctor asked some specific questions and diagnosed gastroenteritis. He proposed a suitable treatment using drugs contained in the medical bag (painkillers and anti-nausea drugs) and reassured the patient.

The situation improved and the patient was monitored until the symptoms disappeared completely.

A 45-year-old man, travelling on business in Moscow, had violent headaches and nausea. What treatment would soothe the pain and stop it getting worse?

The MFO emergency doctor was familiar the patient’s history and assessed the situation by asking detailed questions. The vital parameters were transmitted and showed that the patient had high blood pressure. The doctor gave first-aid advice (rest) and prescribed painkillers from the medical bag.Because of the way in which the pain originated, however, it was thought prudent to admit the patient for observation to a partner hospital in Moscow. The medical dossier was transmitted and the emergency treatment monitored closely by MFO. A CT scan and lumbar puncture requested by the MFO doctor ruled out cerebral haemorrhage. The situation improved and the patient monitored until the symptoms disappear.

The event was recorded precisely in the computerised medical dossier so that the right treatment could be prescribed straightaway in future.

A 55-year-old man, who had already had a heart attack two years previously, was holidaying with his family in the Balearic Islands. After eating, he had chest pain recalling the heart attack. He was very worried.

MFO was fully aware of his medical history and current treatment and assessed the situation by asking targeted questions. The pain was thought to be of cardiac origin.

The vital parameters were transmitted and revealed that the patient had high blood pressure. The doctor prescribed drugs contained in the medical bag for the chest pain and high blood pressure. He explained by video conference where to position the defibrillator electrodes on the chest and how to turn it on. The pain lessened but the blood pressure remained elevated. MFO organised the patient’s transfer by ambulance to a partner hospital for monitoring for a few hours and an analysis with cardiac markers. The medical dossier was transmitted and supervision organised. Although the pain had disappeared, the high readings for the cardiac markers suggested that cardiac catheterisation should be carried out. The coronarography was successfully performed.

A 14-year-old girl spending the weekend at the family chalet in the mountains scalded her left arm with boiling water. She was in great pain and her parents didn’t know what to do.

The MFO specialist gave first-aid instructions, telling the patient to run her arm under cold water for 10–15 minutes, and then ordered painkillers contained in the MFO medical bag.

From a photo of the lesion sent by MMS, the doctor diagnosed a second-degree burn covering around 2 per cent of the patient’s body. He explained to the parents how to bandage the burn using the material provided by MFO.

The pain was rapidly relieved and the risk of infection minimised. The daily bandages were supervised by remote consultation and the patient monitored until the wound started to heal.

A 58-year-old woman on safari in Namibia was suddenly afflicted with chills, high fever and back pain. She normally enjoyed good health but had not taken any anti-malaria medication.

She was worried. Was it serious? Should she go to hospital or consult the hotel doctor? Were they reliable? What would the diagnosis be? And if it was malaria would she be able to continue her holiday?

Connected to MFO, she spoke directly to a doctor who suspected malaria or a urinary infection. A urine analysis conducted thanks to the equipment in the medical kit ruled out a urinary infection.

Emergency malaria treatment was commenced. The situation improved rapidly and the symptoms disappeared within 24 hours. The patient was monitored continuously until recovery.