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Video
Conferencing for Operation Rooms
High-tech medicine -- video conferencing for operation rooms
September 05, 2006
By: Lynn Marotta
Technology is everywhere today. Perhaps one of the
biggest fields where technology is studied and applied to
help improve our daily lives is in the field of medicine.
Often times some of the simplest medical advancements have
the most impact. Take video conferencing for example. The
use of video conferencing for operation rooms has changed
the way medicine is being practiced. This simple, relatively
inexpensive technology has revolutionized the way surgeries
are performed and medical information is shared.
Gone are the days when surgical interns tried to learn
the intricacies of a complicated surgical procedure by
craning to try to catch a glimpse of what was taking place
on the operating table. Now they are able to see a more
detailed first hand view of the surgical procedure from a
high definition television monitor. The use of video
conferencing in the medical field has opened a whole new
door to how medicine is being practiced.
Large well-respected hospitals such as Johns Hopkins have
embraced the use of video conferencing technology in order
to deliver lectures more efficiently. Countries around the
world have access to premier teaching on various medical
topics and surgical procedures without having to incur the
cost of travel. They are even able to facilitate medical
consultations anywhere around the world to follow-up on
surgical procedures that were performed at Johns Hopkins.
Companies have also been founded with the sole vision of
providing video conferencing technology to the medical
field.
MedPresence is a good example of one such company.
MedPresence uses extremely powerful microscopes that give
viewers the ability to see an operation exactly as the
surgical team does. The images are magnified up to 15 times
their actual size and can be viewed from an adjoining
conference room next door, or sent to a portable display
anywhere in the world.
MedPresence states it provides a more personal and
productive training environment because the system enhances
visual perception and interaction, and is not limited by
geographical boundaries. The MedPresence system itself costs
about $1.1 million dollars, but any number of portable video
units that run about $200,000 can be utilized with the
system. It’s the portable units, which are set up in medical
exam and emergency rooms, that make the system so effective
by greatly reducing the need for both physicians and
patients to travel.
Another benefit of using video conferencing in the
surgical setting is it allows surgeons and pathologists to
communicate face-to-face without ever having to leave their
respective rooms. In the midst of a surgery, the doctor can
have a specimen sent to the lab and then communicate
directly from the OR while the sample is being examined.
This not only saves time and improves surgical efficiency;
it also improves accuracy and reduces the possibility of
information being incorrectly reported.
As the idea of telemedicine grows it not only globalizes,
but centralizes the field of medicine. Students are able to
learn about different medical cases from around the world as
well as view procedures and conduct detailed consultation
without the barrier of distance.
About the Author
Lynn Marotta is a successful freelance writer and
contributor to Video-Conferencing-Guide.com. Your definitive guide to everything you need to know about video driven communications, including multi-view video conferencing solutions for business, broadband video phones and personal webcam chat rooms.
Also See:
[ WorldGate's Ojo
personal video phone -- worth your while to buy? ]
[ Video
conferencing equipment -- ISDN or IP, advantages &
disadvantages ]
[ A videophone for the
deaf enhances life for the hearing-impaired community ]
Home Page:
[ Video-Conferencing-Guide.com ]
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