Potential Use of Remote Telesonography as a Transformational Technology in Underresourced and/or Remote Settings
This article is part of Special Issue:
Linping Pian,
Lawrence M. Gillman,
Paul B. McBeth,
Zhengwen Xiao,
Chad G. Ball,
Michael Blaivas,
Douglas R. Hamilton,
Andrew W. Kirkpatrick,
Linping Pian
Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliation Hospital, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, China henantcm.com
Search for more papers by this authorLawrence M. Gillman
Department of Surgery, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3T 2N2, umanitoba.ca
Search for more papers by this authorPaul B. McBeth
Departments of Surgery and Division Critical Care Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4, ubc.ca
Search for more papers by this authorZhengwen Xiao
Regional Trauma Services, Foothills Medical Centre, EG 23, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Search for more papers by this authorChad G. Ball
Regional Trauma Services, Foothills Medical Centre, EG 23, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Department of Surgery, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Search for more papers by this authorMichael Blaivas
Northside Hospital-Forsyth, Cumming, GA 30041, USA
Search for more papers by this authorDouglas R. Hamilton
Department of Medicine, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Andrew W. Kirkpatrick
Regional Trauma Services, Foothills Medical Centre, EG 23, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Department of Surgery, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Search for more papers by this authorLinping Pian,
Lawrence M. Gillman,
Paul B. McBeth,
Zhengwen Xiao,
Chad G. Ball,
Michael Blaivas,
Douglas R. Hamilton,
Andrew W. Kirkpatrick,
Linping Pian
Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliation Hospital, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000, China henantcm.com
Search for more papers by this authorLawrence M. Gillman
Department of Surgery, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3T 2N2, umanitoba.ca
Search for more papers by this authorPaul B. McBeth
Departments of Surgery and Division Critical Care Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4, ubc.ca
Search for more papers by this authorZhengwen Xiao
Regional Trauma Services, Foothills Medical Centre, EG 23, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Search for more papers by this authorChad G. Ball
Regional Trauma Services, Foothills Medical Centre, EG 23, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Department of Surgery, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Search for more papers by this authorMichael Blaivas
Northside Hospital-Forsyth, Cumming, GA 30041, USA
Search for more papers by this authorDouglas R. Hamilton
Department of Medicine, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Andrew W. Kirkpatrick
Regional Trauma Services, Foothills Medical Centre, EG 23, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Department of Surgery, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 2T9, albertahealthservices.ca
Search for more papers by this authorAcademic Editor: Chak W. Kam
Abstract
Mortality and morbidity from traumatic injury are twofold higher in rural compared to urban areas. Furthermore, the greater the distance a patient resides from an organized trauma system, the greater the likelihood of an adverse outcome. Delay in timely diagnosis and treatment contributes to this penalty, regardless of whether the inherent barriers are geographic, cultural, or socioeconomic. Since ultrasound is noninvasive, cost-effective, and portable, it is becoming increasingly useful for remote/underresourced (R/UR) settings to avoid lengthy patient travel to relatively inaccessible medical centers. Ultrasonography is a user-dependent, technical skill, and many, if not most, front-line care providers will not have this advanced training. This is particularly true if care is being provided by out-of-hospital, “nontraditional” providers. The human exploration of space has forced the utilization of information technology (IT) to allow remote experts to guide distant untrained care providers in point-of-care ultrasound to diagnose and manage both acute and chronic illness or injuries. This paradigm potentially brings advanced diagnostic imaging to any medical interaction in a setting with internet connectivity. This paper summarizes the current literature surrounding the development of teleultrasound as a transformational technology and its application to underresourced settings.
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