HealthOnTrack

While teleconferencing continues to be a driving force in global business, education is finally beginning to reap the benefits of this technology. Live surgery is being broadcast in Australia and is becoming an essential tool in surgical teaching and education as hospitals are starting to make use of audio visual technology. These new developments are not simply for the benefit of educational facilities but also for remote area that do not have access to the latest up to date information, these live broadcasts enable doctors in smaller towns to stay up to date with the latest techniques and skills. While the focus is on live surgery, all medical persons need to be aware of the developments and the technology will soon be leveraged for other medical applications.

While the equipment used is not on the same scale as that for an AV event London, reliable broadband and high resolution camera are needed for viewers to watch the intricacies of a live surgery procedure. While the technology has been available for many years, due to the high costs and the low use of the technology, the service was very expensive to continually broadcast. With increasing bandwidth and the lower cost of entry for live streaming, surgery will now form a solid backbone of education as doctors will consistently broadcast their procedures. Whether it’s brain, liver or heart surgery, the technology is able to broadcast a virtual presence across the world to any medical professional with an internet connection.

Live surgery videos are also to be archived for later use and with a wealth of information at the fingertips of medical professionals and students; surgery can be far less daunting with the new educational method. All students will need to do is register on the site and prove their medical affiliation, as patients consent to have their live surgery footage released for the benefit of medical technology, not reality television. Hospitals across the world need to follow the Australian example and get an audio visual installation in their theatres so that more lives can be saved across the world through live surgery education videos.