Narrative:

While in cruise at FL360 we were notified of all ill passenger. 2 physicians onboard evaled the passenger and with concurrence of our dispatcher and medical consultants we decided to continue the flight. After approximately 45 mins we were notified by attending physicians that the passenger's condition had become unstable and that an immediate landing was required. We declared an emergency and diverted to ZZZ where the passenger was deplaned. The flight was redispatched to ZZZ2. The main lesson learned from this incident was that phone patches between medical consultants and aircraft can be unexpectedly poor. In order for medical consultants to be an effective tool in an emergency situation the flight attendants need a direct phone connection (via air phone). This would enable a physician/flight attendant to speak directly to medical consultants instead of relaying information through an already 'busy' cockpit.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ILL ACR ACFT PAX WAS ATTENDED TO AFTER CONSULTING WITH GND BASED MED ADVISORS. LATER THE FLT DIVERTED WHEN THE PAX WORSENED BUT BETTER COM WITH MED ADVISORS IS NEEDED.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE AT FL360 WE WERE NOTIFIED OF ALL ILL PAX. 2 PHYSICIANS ONBOARD EVALED THE PAX AND WITH CONCURRENCE OF OUR DISPATCHER AND MEDICAL CONSULTANTS WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE FLT. AFTER APPROX 45 MINS WE WERE NOTIFIED BY ATTENDING PHYSICIANS THAT THE PAX'S CONDITION HAD BECOME UNSTABLE AND THAT AN IMMEDIATE LNDG WAS REQUIRED. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED TO ZZZ WHERE THE PAX WAS DEPLANED. THE FLT WAS REDISPATCHED TO ZZZ2. THE MAIN LESSON LEARNED FROM THIS INCIDENT WAS THAT PHONE PATCHES BTWN MEDICAL CONSULTANTS AND ACFT CAN BE UNEXPECTEDLY POOR. IN ORDER FOR MEDICAL CONSULTANTS TO BE AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IN AN EMER SITUATION THE FLT ATTENDANTS NEED A DIRECT PHONE CONNECTION (VIA AIR PHONE). THIS WOULD ENABLE A PHYSICIAN/FLT ATTENDANT TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO MEDICAL CONSULTANTS INSTEAD OF RELAYING INFO THROUGH AN ALREADY 'BUSY' COCKPIT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.