Studies in health technology and informatics
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What started in Berlin in May of 2000 as an idea to create the telemedicine program of Kosova in order to help the country rebuild the broken medical system and change the miserable face of medicine, has now spread to other countries in the Balkans. Today, June 29, 2007, as I am rewriting this chapter, ten doctors and engineers from Kosova, Montenegro and Macedonia graduated from a three weeks intensive course on telemedicine, e-health and medical electronic library. This international telemedicine fellowship is organized by the very entity that was created in Berlin 7 years ago: The International Virtual e-Hospital (IVEH). ⋯ Soon we will be traveling to Atalaya, Peru and other communities of Amazon River, then Africa. We will not stop. One country at a time!
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2008
Randomized Controlled TrialTransfer of systematic computer game training in surgical novices on performance in virtual reality image guided surgical simulators.
We report on a pilot study that investigates the transfer effect of systematic computer game training on performance in image guided surgery. In a group of 22 surgical novices, subjects were matched and randomized into one group training with a 3-D first person shooter (FPS) game and one group training with a 2-D non-FPS game. We also included a control group. ⋯ Furthermore subjects who underwent systematic FPS game training performed better in the MIST-VR than those training with a 2-D game. Our findings indicate a transfer effect and that experience of video games are important for training outcome in simulated surgical procedures. Video game training can become useful when designing future skills training curricula for surgeons.
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2008
From guidelines to careflows: modelling and supporting complex clinical processes.
Research on computer interpretable clinical guidelines has largely focused on individual points of care rather than processes of care. Whether we consider simple aids like clinical alerts and reminders or more sophisticated data interpretation and decision-making, guideline developers tend to focus on specific tasks rather than processes like care plans and pathways which are extended in time. ⋯ We also briefly discuss the distinct theoretical frameworks which have grown up around them, notably Petri nets for workflow modelling and mathematical logics for guidelines. We conclude that these offer complementary views of clinical processes and that a key research challenge is find a way of unifying them.
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2008
Computer-assisted Cobb angle measurement on posteroanterior radiographs.
The Cobb angle method is the gold standard to assess severity of scoliosis. A computer-aided method was developed to provide a semi-automatic Cobb angle measurement during a scoliosis clinic. This study was to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of the developed method. ⋯ For each curve type, the inter-method, inter-observer, and intra-observer variability were analyzed by Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC[2,1]). The ICC values were higher than 0.90 in all these types. The developed method was reliable to measure the Cobb angle and was not dependent on the curve type.
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Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2008
Treatment of early adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using the SpineCor System.
The purpose of this prospective observational study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Dynamic SpineCor System for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in accordance with the standardized outcome criteria proposed by the Scoliosis Research Society Committee on Bracing and Nonoperative Management. The SpineCor System is the first and only truly dynamic brace, which provides a progressive correction of Idiopathic Scoliosis from 15 degrees Cobb angle and above. The new therapeutic approach is based on a new concept upon the etiology and pathogenesis of idiopathic scoliosis; a pathology of the neuro-musculoskeletal system in growth and maturation. ⋯ Eight mature patients out of 298 (2.7%) required surgery within 2 years of follow-up beyond skeletal maturity. The conclusion drawn from these findings is that the SpineCor brace is effective for the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Moreover, positive outcomes are maintained after 2 years because 151 (93.2%) of 162 patients stabilized or corrected their end of bracing Cobb angle up to 2 years after bracing.