The next challenge for WOrld wide Robotized Tele-Echography eXperiment (WORTEX 2012): From engineering success to healthcare delivery
Date Issued
May 2013
Abstract
Access to good quality healthcare remains
difficult for many patients whether they live in developed or
developing countries. In developed countries, specialist medical
expertise is concentrated in major hospitals in urban settings
both to improve clinical outcomes and as a strategy to reduce
the costs of specialist healthcare delivery. In developing
countries, millions of people have limited, if any, routine access
to a healthcare system and due to economic and cultural factors
the accessibility of any services may be restricted. In both
cases, geographical, socio-political, cultural and economic
factors produce ‘medically isolated areas’ where patients find
themselves disadvantaged in terms of timely diagnosis and
expert and/or expensive treatment. The robotized teleechography
approach, also referred to as robotized teleultrasound,
offers a potential solution to diagnostic imaging in
medically isolated areas. It is designed for patients requiring
ultrasound scans for routine care (e.g., ante natal care) and for
diagnostic imaging to investigate acute and medical
emergencies conditions, including trauma care and responses to
natural disasters such as earthquakes. The robotized teleechography
system can hold any standard ultrasound probe;
this lightweight system is positioned on the patient’s body by a
healthcare assistant. The medical expert, a clinician with
expertise in ultrasound imaging and diagnosis, is in a distant
location and, using a dedicated joystick, remotely controls the
scanning via any available communication link (Internet,
satellite). The WORTEX2012 intercontinental trials of the
system conducted last year successfully demonstrated the
feasibility of remote robotized tele-echography in a range of
cultural, technical and clinical contexts. In addition to the
engineering success, these trials provided positive feedback
from the participating clinicians and patients on using the
system and on the system’s perceived potential to transform
healthcare in medically isolated areas. The next challenge is to
show evidence that this innovative technology can deliver on its
promise if introduced into routine healthcare.
difficult for many patients whether they live in developed or
developing countries. In developed countries, specialist medical
expertise is concentrated in major hospitals in urban settings
both to improve clinical outcomes and as a strategy to reduce
the costs of specialist healthcare delivery. In developing
countries, millions of people have limited, if any, routine access
to a healthcare system and due to economic and cultural factors
the accessibility of any services may be restricted. In both
cases, geographical, socio-political, cultural and economic
factors produce ‘medically isolated areas’ where patients find
themselves disadvantaged in terms of timely diagnosis and
expert and/or expensive treatment. The robotized teleechography
approach, also referred to as robotized teleultrasound,
offers a potential solution to diagnostic imaging in
medically isolated areas. It is designed for patients requiring
ultrasound scans for routine care (e.g., ante natal care) and for
diagnostic imaging to investigate acute and medical
emergencies conditions, including trauma care and responses to
natural disasters such as earthquakes. The robotized teleechography
system can hold any standard ultrasound probe;
this lightweight system is positioned on the patient’s body by a
healthcare assistant. The medical expert, a clinician with
expertise in ultrasound imaging and diagnosis, is in a distant
location and, using a dedicated joystick, remotely controls the
scanning via any available communication link (Internet,
satellite). The WORTEX2012 intercontinental trials of the
system conducted last year successfully demonstrated the
feasibility of remote robotized tele-echography in a range of
cultural, technical and clinical contexts. In addition to the
engineering success, these trials provided positive feedback
from the participating clinicians and patients on using the
system and on the system’s perceived potential to transform
healthcare in medically isolated areas. The next challenge is to
show evidence that this innovative technology can deliver on its
promise if introduced into routine healthcare.