Telemedicine Provides Access To Pediatric Cardiologists
WINSTON-SALEM, NC -- For the past two years, pediatricians at Forsyth Medical Center have had access to pediatric cardiologists at Brenner Children's Hospital at the touch of a button. Literally.
"For the past two years, we have been using a fiber optic connection to transmit echocardiographic images from a regional level III nursery at Forsyth Medical Center, lacking on-site pediatric cardiologists," said Andrew S. Bensky, a pediatric cardiologist with the department of pediatrics at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC.
Echocardiography is the use of ultrasound waves to examine the structure of the heart, thickness of the heart walls, and heart function and to determine if there are abnormalities.
"Many medical centers use telemedicine, but what makes this different is the way we are transmitting the images, using this technology," Dr. Bensky added. "Our telemedicine system serves as a prototype, showing the potential for using high-speed data networks to enhance the ability to evaluate patients across long distances."
Normally performed in a hospital or physician's office, either a cardiologist must be on-site to read and interpret the echocardiogram or the referring hospital must record the study and send it to a cardiologist via courier or overnight mail.
"By using telemedicine, we can actually talk to the technologists who are performing the study, during the study," Dr. Bensky said. "It is almost the equivalent of actually being there. This allows us to get a compete study and give the physicians and the patients the best information concerning their follow-up care."
The images are digitized and sent in asynchrinous transfer mode (ATM). This allows for real-time transmission of full screen images at 30 frames/second with minimal compression. They are sent via the N.C. Information Highway. North Carolina is one of only a handful of states in the country to have such a telecommunications network.
"These images are minimally compressed and therefore we are able to provide accurate diagnostic interpretations of patients' studies," he said. "What this means is that a patient who may have a heart defect can begin medications immediately that may help prevent further injury. Patients who do not have heart disease can avoid the unnecessary side effects of taking drugs that are not indicated. It also avoids the expense and time of having an infant transferred to a tertiary center that can provide a high level of care when that level of care is not immediately necessary."
Founded in 1986, Brenner Children's Hospital treats children from western North Carolina, as well as parts of Virginia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. A part of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Brenner Children's Hospital treats young patients from newborns to adolescents.
Comprised of a 138-bed inpatient unit, Brenner Children's Hospital provides a full continuum of care with a pediatric emergency room, pediatric and neonatal intensive care units, Amos Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, infant, children, and adolescent inpatient units and outpatient clinics. In addition to these services, physicians also conduct 24 outpatient outreach clinics, seeing over 1,100 patients annually in 13 counties across western North Carolina and southern Virginia.
###
Media Contact: Reporters may call the Press Room during the Pediatric Academic Society Meeting at (504) 670-8502, (504) 670-8503 or (504) 670-8508. After the meeting, reporters may call Rae Beasley (336) 716-6878 or Jim Steele (336) 716-3487 at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center to arrange an interview.
RSS