As VP of Medical Operations, I work daily to help VIKAND partners worldwide stay compliant with ever-changing regulations. These range from strong recommendations from trade and professional organizations to new laws adopted by governments at every level.

As we close out the first quarter of 2025, we are already preparing clients for new practices coming in 2026. In just nine months, cruise ships are recommended to have a physician onboard trained in Point of Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) in regard to ACEP (American College of Emergency Physicians) Cruise Ship section and compliant devices ready to deploy. This is one of our major projects right now.

PoCUS has become an essential standard in emergency medicine, particularly at sea, where onboard medical teams must operate with greater self-sufficiency. Emergency medicine ultrasound (EMUS) is the use of bedside PoCUS by an attending emergency physician to assist in diagnosing and managing time-sensitive emergencies.

PoCUS enables real-time imaging, reducing reliance on shoreside facilities. AI-powered ultrasound systems are emerging and may be offering real-time analysis to help less experienced users refine their skills.

At VIKAND, we’re getting cruise operators ready through training staff, equipment procurement and installation. From a clinical and technical standpoint, the two portable ultrasound systems we currently recommend are Philips Lumify, which has built-in video conferencing for seamless shoreside support, and EchoNous Kosmos, which offers real-time AI guidance for fast and assistance with scans.

With emergency and trauma medicine increasingly relying on PoCUS as a best practice, it is vital that onboard doctors—many of whom have spent their careers at sea—receive the training necessary to integrate ultrasound into patient assessments, we will be partnering with an online training system to provide a self-paced learning with an option to continue their training through fellowship.

Despite the historically slow adoption of ultrasound at sea, more operators are taking steps to implement PoCUS with the January 1, 2026, deadline looming. We recommend cruise lines act now to ensure compliance and enhance their onboard medical capabilities.

VIKAND is fully prepared to help cruise operators meet these new recommendations. Reach out to our team today for a tailored solution to integrating ultrasound into your fleet’s medical program. We’re here to keep you not just compliant but at the forefront of maritime healthcare.

In this edition of Pulse, explore the complex world inside a ship’s medicine cabinet, learn the real cause of fatigue and burnout at sea, see what VIKAND is doing to support Mercy Ships, and follow us as we uncover the real cost and operational benefits of telehealth.