Combining continuing education with expert consultation via telemedicine in Cambodia. (April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Engle, Xavier; Aird, James; Tho, Ly; Bintcliffe, Fiona; Monsell, Fergal; Gollogly, Jim; Noor, Saqib
• Is Part Of: Tropical doctor. Volume 44:Number 2(2014:Apr.)
• Page Start: 62
• Page End: 68
• Publication Date: 2014-04
• Subjects: Asia -- musculoskeletal -- surgery; Tropical medicine -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; Developing Countries -- Periodicals; Tropical Medicine -- Periodicals; Tropische geneeskunde; 616.9883
• DOI: 10.1177/0049475513515654
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0049-4755

Abstract

Telemedicine has the potential to increase access to both clinical consultation and continuing medical education in Cambodia. We present a Cambodian surgical centre's experience with a collaboration in which complicated orthopaedic cases were presented to a panel of consultants using free online videoconferencing software, providing a combined opportunity for both continuing education and the enhancement of patient care. Effects of the case conference on patient care were examined via a retrospective review and clinician perspectives were elicited via a qualitative survey. The case conference altered patient care in 69% of cases. All Cambodian staff reported learning from the conference and 78% reported changes in their care for patients not presented at the conference. Real-time videoconferencing between consultants in the developed world and physicians in a developing country may be an effective, low-cost and easily replicable means of combining direct benefits to patient care with continuing medical education.