Teletrauma
Teletrauma at the William Lehman Injury Research Center, located in the internationally recognized Ryder Trauma Center, evaluates telemedicine applications to create new solutions for the optimal delivery of trauma care, education and information exchange. Our robust research program investigates the effectiveness and usability of telemedicine in various capacities within the trauma and critical care environment. Our work involves researching both clinically and educationally favorable applications of technology and translating findings into daily practice. Clinically, we have tested the use of telemedicine in the resuscitation environment, for patient triage in mass casualty and disaster environments, in the operating room and intensive care unit. We conduct usability and clinical effectiveness testing to understand different system’s functions, capabilities and limitations. We perform usability testing of a variety of equipment including cameras, robots, carts and control stations. We survey both on-site and remote physicians for strengths, weaknesses and barriers to the implementation of technology.
Our telemedicine program is extending the reach of trauma education and training through several initiatives such as our International Tele-Grand Rounds. The International TeleTrauma Grand Rounds is a weekly series of complex trauma case presentations and advanced trauma and critical care topics. Through videoconferencing, several sites log in simultaneously from various locations to our network. To date, we have collaborated with institutions across the US and the world including Brazil, Colombia, Canada, Spain, Thailand and China, just to name a few. Case presentations include mechanism of injury, laboratory and imaging diagnostic results, therapeutic interventions, preventing pitfalls, variations in treatment modalities, and patient care management. These case presentations provide students, residents, fellows and attending physicians with an outstanding tool for education and sharing of medical expertise across borders. Recently, the PanAmerican Trauma Society has adopted our International TeleTrauma Grand Rounds as one of their educational activities every second and fourth Friday of the month.
Department of State: Telemedicine Program
In addition to the Teletrauma program, the team at the Ryder Trauma Center also provides telemedicine support to US hospitals and personnel overseas. United States surgeons taking care of personnel abroad have access 24 hours a day to the Trauma Specialists at the Ryder Trauma Center. Through our partnership with Specialty Telehealth Services (STS), the telemedicine support includes real-time audio and video communication as well as access to special telemedicine robots that allow for remote visualization of operative procedures. This allows the surgeons at Ryder to provide guidance for the most challenging cases encountered.
