MAGPI Virtual Forums
Healthcare and Medicine

 

 

WORKING AGENDA

Coming Soon!

 

 

Previous Healthcare and Medicine Forums

October 4, 2007
February 1, 2007
September 7, 2006
May 25, 2006

 

NOTES/AGENDA for October 4, 2007

Welcome/Introductions

Collaborative Approaches for Biomedical Research and Homeland Security
Dr. Harold Skip Garner, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

The US NIH's groundbreaking Biodefense Network, launched in 2004, now comprises a national community of 500 physicians and researchers, 15 biocontainment labs, 9 regional centers of excellence, and scores of leading hospitals and medical schools. The Biodefense Network, managed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), leverages the high speed connections provided by Internet2, and collaboration tools such as the Access Grid, to carry out its collaborative and computing-intense research. This session will detail how Internet2 and its collaboration tools can serve biomedical research as well as critical homeland security applications.

Second Life: The educational possibilities of massively multiplayer virtual worlds
David Antonacci, University of Kansas Medical Center
Nellie Modares, University of Kansas Medical Center

Second Life is a user-created virtual world--simultaneously played by thousands of people around the world. In this session, we examine 
technical capabilities, focus on exciting educational possibilities, and introduce a vision mechanism for incorporating virtual worlds into 
teaching and learning strategies. A special emphasis will be on health and medical education.

Discussion

 

 

AGENDA/NOTES from February 1, 2007

Welcome/Introductions

The following institutions were represented during this forum: CERMUSA/St. Francis University, Lehigh Valley Hospital, MAGPI, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, Stanford University, University of Delaware, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and University of Scranton

FCC Rural Health Care Pilot Project

Executive Director
MAGPI

On September 26, 2006, the Federal Communications Commission announced a new funding program aimed at rural healthcare and telemedicine initiatives.  The FCC Rural Health Care Pilot Program is an enhanced funding initiative intended to help public and non-profit health care providers construct state- and region-wide broadband networks to provide telehealth and telemedicine services throughout the nation. The program will fund up to 85% of the costs of constructing those networks, as well as the costs of advanced telecommunications and information services that will ride over these networks. If selected, up to 85% of the cost of connecting to Internet2, a dedicated nationwide backbone, may also be funded by the pilot program. Greg Palmer talked about how this project is being interpreted in various states and the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware intitiatives.

 

Applications must be filed 30 days from the receipt of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements contained in the FCC’s Order. OMB approval is expected to take from 90 to 120 days from October 18, 2006, the date on which notice of the Paperwork Reduction Act collection requirements was published in the Federal Register. The FCC will issue a Public Notice announcing OMB approval once that has occurred.

Greg reminded those on the videoconference call to keep in mind that this program aims to fund collaborative consortiums and pilot projects. All members of the MAGPI K20 community should be keenly interested in this program as it will prompt a review of how the Universal Service Fund is used in telecommunications initiatives. It may, in fact, eventually permit access to Internet2 to be "E-Rate"-able.

Since September 2006, Internet2 has convened experts from the research and education community, regional networking organizations, and the health sciences to help understand the requirements, services, and resources needed to take full advantage of this program. To read more about Internet2's response, see: http://www.internet2.edu/rhcp/.

On a bi-weekly basis, Internet2 hosts conference calls to bring interested constituents together to discuss, and come to consensus on, these important issues. So far, this group has worked to quickly agree on approaches and strategies and share critical information on acceptable and recommended approaches to proposal development.

For the next scheduled call and instructions for joining, see: http://www.internet2.edu/rhcp/.

 

Lehigh Valley Hospital Tele-Intensivist Project

,
A/V Media Services
Lehigh Valley Hospital

Bruce Bobo from LVH talked briefly about the hospital's Tele-Intensivist project, where s pecially trained critical care doctors called intensivists are able to monitor intensive care unit (ICU) patients around the clock using networked technologies.More than 00 critical care patient beds are equipped with high resolution video, two way audio, and an electronic bedside charting system that tracks all patient data and is monitored by specialists 24/7. Ultimately, all critical care beds at Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)--Cedar Crest & I-78 and LVH--Muhlenberg will be monitored via tele-intensivists. Read more about LVH's project.

Using Internet2 for International Medical Learning Exchange

Electronic Classrooms & Video Production Manager
CERMUSA/St. Francis University

Internet2 interconnects to over 45 other research and education networks across the GLOBE, making it easy to achieve INTERNATIONAL collaboration among educational, research and health care organizations. During this session, CERMUSA/St. Francis University(SFU) talked about and show video of a recent connection with The Univeristy of Puerto Rico. Faculty members at UPR facilitated a brief, health care simulation entirely in Spanish and followed with a discussion of medical Spanish and cultural competencies needed by health care professionals in the U.S. who are providing health care to Spanish-speaking populations here.

Dr. Margaret Morales (St. Francis University) talked about the impact of this experience on her more advanced medical students - - who were excited about their abilities to comprehend and understand the demonstration - - and her beginning students who are now eager to start their studies because they understand how their knowledge can be applied in real world contexts. Dr. Morales briefly touched upon possible expansions of this program, including: 1) more sustained videoconference encounters between UPR students and St. Francis students; 2) an exchange program between UPR students and SFU students; and 3) medical spanish courses originating from SFU and delivered to distributed audiences over MAGPI/Internet2.

Download/View James Gerraughty's Power Point Presentation

Simulation, Visualization and Immersive Telepresence for Medical Education: Can We Build a Virtual Hospital for Students?

Director, SUMMIT Lab
Stanford University  

Numerous medical schools are building simulation centers for training students, residents and hospital personnel. 3D anatomic models, stereo imaging, simulated surgical procedures complete with the sensation of touch, high resolution video from the operating room for a sense of telepresence - all are components that are being used today for education. Are they enough to begin crafting a vision of a comprehensive virtual hospital where students meet and treat virtual patients, manage routine needs and crises, and learn their craft in an immersive and authentic environment.

Dr. Dev discussed five pedagogical/technological movements that are facilitating a move toward virtual hospitals for medical education. These initiatives included: 1) Virtual Patients in Medical Education; 2) Removing Geographic Barriers and Bringing Specialists to Patients; 3) Immersive Telepresence; 4) Virtual Emergency Departments; and 5) Procedure Simulators.

To find out more about Stanford University's Medical Media and Information technologies program, visit the SUMMIT website.

Download/View Dr. Dev's Power Point Presentation

Discussion

This healthcare and medical forum concluded with discussion of a new initiative at the University of Pennsylvania to expand access to the School of Medicine's Grand Rounds using DVTS technology. If you are interested in learning more about this project, please contact .

 

 

AGENDA/NOTES from September 7, 2006

Welcome/Introductions

North Dakota Telepharmacy Project

Ann Rathke
Telepharmacy Coordinator, North Dakota Telepharmacy Project
North Dakota State University College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences, Fargo, ND

Sandy Sprafka
Videoconferencing Administrator, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND

Teri Lutz
Registered Pharmacist, Thrifty White Pharmacy, Fargo, ND

Ann Rathke, coordinator of the North Dakota Telepharmacy Project, which is program of the NDSU College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences, and Sandy Sprafka, videoconferencing administrator at NDSU, will talk about the North Dakota Telepharmacy Project and its role in restoring, retaining, and establishing pharmacy services in remote, medically-underserved areas of North Dakota.

Currently, fifty-seven pharmacies are involved in the North Dakota Telepharmacy Project, twenty-one central pharmacy sites and thirty-six remote telepharmacy sites. Of the fifty-seven pharmacies involved, forty-four are retail pharmacies and thirteen are hospital pharmacies. There will be a demonstration of the project as we connect with Teri Lutz, a pharmacist with White Drug Enterprises, which is headquartered in Maple Grove , Minnesota . Teri’s practice consists of providing telepharmacy services to three Thrifty White pharmacies in North Dakota and one in Minnesota that are staffed with pharmacy technicians.

Delivering Healthcare Programs throughout the Americas via Internet2, CLARA, CANAIRE and GDLN

Jennifer Oxenford
Associate Director, MAGPI

Jennifer Oxenford will co-present this opportunity for MAGPI members from the medical/health science community to offer a session as part of this international series. Several forums have already been held including MRI Applications to Orthopaedic Surgery (8/9) and Forum on Infusing Information Technology into Orthopaedic Surgery (8/24). MAGPI members are invited to submit topics for a session as part of this series.

Virtual Job Shadows in Healthcare - Bringing K12 students into the action

Pam Christman
Director, Technology Programs and Network Services
RINET

Pam Christman will talk about RINET's experiences partnering with schools, hospitals, and the Hospital Association of RI to design and implement healthcare-related virtual job shadows for their connected K12 schools. RINET's virtual job shadowing projects, all of which employed real-time collaboration technologies, included live open-heart surgeries, orthopedic surgery, fetal ultrasounds, and dental consultations with a variety of hospital and educational institutions such as Women & Infants Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, Kent County Hospital, and CCRI and the University of Rhode Island.

Discussion

 

 

AGENDA/NOTES from May 25, 2006

Welcome/Introductions

CERMUSA/St. Francis Univeristy

Robert Mainhart
Program Manager, CERMUSA

Gina Litzinger
Telehealth Development Specialist, CERMUSA

Robert Mainhart, Program Manager at CERMUSA (The Center for Remote and Medically Underserved Areas), and Gina Litzinger, Telehealth Development Specialist, will discuss past, present and future telehealth experiences that CERMUSA has experienced.  As a further case study, the use and demonstration of CERMUSA’s Mobile Communication Platform (MCP) for the Distributed Medical Intelligence conference in New Orleans will be showcased, with special attention paid to the communication and medical needs in that area following Hurricane Katrina.

Inner World Discovery

Phillip Silverstein, MD
Founder, Inner World Discovery

Dr. Phillip Silverstein will talk about and demonstrate his K-12 "Inner World Discovery" Program - a multimedia journey through the body's immune system. Dr. Silverstein has been offering monthly interactive videoconferences for high school students that explore the inner workings of the immune system, as well as the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS.

Advances in Biomedical Visualization – A Path Toward Virtual Surgery Simulators

Karl V. Steiner, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Delaware Biotechnology Institute
Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Delaware

The representation of complex scientific data within a high-performance visualization environment facilitates interdisciplinary communications and collaborations among researchers from distinct scientific backgrounds. Within this framework, the activities of the visualization group at the Delaware Biotechnology Institute converge along three focal areas: molecular modeling and simulation; visual methods for multivariate data analysis; and biomedical imaging & virtual surgery simulation.

Of growing interest are opportunities to present biomedical data from such modalities as CT and MRI scans in a way to present an intuitive and interactive environment to physicians to explore treatment options or to practice surgical procedures.

The large size of databases investigated in this research field requires significant computational resources to achieve real-time simulations that are the base for realistic immersive interactions within the 3-D environment. Much of the research of the visualization group in the Bioinformatics Center at the Delaware Biotechnology Institute is performed within an immersive 3-D computer-aided virtual environment (CAVE), where high-performance computational servers are available to store, analyze, simulate and visualize life sciences data.

A PHANToM robotic haptics system is incorporated in the Visualization Studio to allow researchers and physicians to touch, deform, and actually feel the virtual representation of biomedical data. The presentation will provide background on visualization methods, and describe recent progress made toward the development of an interactive, immersive virtual surgery simulator.

Discussion