|
Surgical
teams from diverse locations utilize our telemedicine
technologies to collaborate in life-threatening situations
requiring immediate
care. For example, a remote surgeon viewing high quality
video and still macroscopic and microscopic images can
provide instructive consultation to a surgeon on-site.
Simultaneously, a pathologist from another location,
utilizing GlobalMedia’s CapSure® Store-and-Forward
software, can capture, store, catalogue and share historical
and live images with the team to facilitate rapid diagnosis
and decision-making.
Teaching hospitals in the life sciences have quickly
grasped the potential for telemedicine technologies
to broaden their educational capabilities. By expanding
the universe of students, faculty and information, teaching
is no longer bound by geography. Through GlobalMedia’s
technologies such as the WebCast AV8R™, more students
can learn and more faculty representing varied specialties
can teach, all via live video conferencing and Web-casting
solutions. Cross-institutional collaboration enriches
curricula and helps reduce time and costs. Access to
information such as cellular images captured and catalogued
by CapSure and live remote case studies, utilizing remote
diagnostic tools, represent current thinking in medicine
and provide up-to-date learning materials.
Technological advances in telemedicine
now enable similar collaboration across countries, promoting
best practice adoption and supporting advances in medical
knowledge and healthcare delivery throughout the world.
The range of applications in practice today includes
pediatrics, cardiology, ophthalmology, dermatology,
pathology, psychology and surgery, to name a few.
The ability to collaborate in real-time
with shared access to patient records, images and vital
signs, under the guidance of expert coaching, has
greatly expanded access to qualified medical personnel
for underserved populations in numerous countries resulting
in improved health outcomes.
Telemedicine in the United Arab Emirates
(UAE) appears to be in the early stages of adoption.
Recent research exploring the use of telemedicine
in the UAE (Al Qirim, 2007) indicated that telemedicine
applications are “not extensively employed in
the UAE. There are no self-initiated telemedicine networks
or specialty telemedicine centers in the UAE.”2
The author characterized current telemedicine applications
as a medical tool in Tawam Hospital, Mafraq Hospital,
UAE University and Higher Colleges of Technology as
“adopted minimally.” However, positive views
from the above institutions concerning the potential
of telemedicine indicate some promise for future applications.
The following summarizes those perceived advantages:
• Expanded reach
• Reduced Costs
• More efficient use of clinicians’ time
• Increased sharing and collaboration among dispersed
medical groups
• Maintaining professional certifications without
going offsite
• Increased team interaction, improved work flow
and quality
• Enhanced collaborations through sharing images
easily for timely expert consultations
|
