Deploying portable ultrasonography with remote assistance for isolated physicians in Africa: lessons from a pilot study in Mali

Article Article scientifique Article Deploying portable ultrasonography with remote assistance for isolated physicians in Africa: lessons from a pilot study in Mali eng 2010 author Bagayoko Cheikh-Oumar 593716 author Niang Mahamoudane author Traore Seydou T. author Bediang Georges Wylfred 681784 author Naef Jean-Marc 23962 author Geissbuhler Antoine 0000-0001-5039-3373 23387 554-558 10.3233/978-1-60750-588-4-554 20841748 0926-9630 OBJECTIVE: Demonstrate the feasibility of deploying portable ultrasonography with remote assistance to improve the diagnostic capabilities of isolated physicians in Africa. METHODS: The approach is based on the training of general practitioners for the use of ultrasonography, and the remote support by radiologists using dedicated tools for image transfer over low-bandwidth internet connections. RESULTS: Our early results in a pilot project in Mali show that this approach is feasible, and that isolated physicians can productively use ultrasonography to improve diagnosis and management decisions such as the need for a medical evacuation towards a reference hospital. CONCLUSION: These encouraging early results must be confirmed by larger-scale studies, in order to better understand the organizational requirements and demonstrate outcomes and return on investments for such telemedicine services. This scale-up project will start in 2010 in collaboration with the International Development Research Center of Canada. Mali Pilot Projects Remote Consultation/methods *Rural Health Services Teleradiology/*methods Ultrasonography/*methods Dewey 576 Dewey 616.0757 136 Département de biologie structurale et bioinformatique 21E 62 Département de radiologie et informatique médicale 227 false 178 Groupe Geissbuhler Antoine (informatique médicale) 222 Studies in health technology and informatics 160 Pt 1 45ca83d0-ad5c-4388-a53c-47caf40c3874 Article (Published version) Public 20430.pdf 1369012 application/pdf CC BY-NC openAccess Faculté de médecine / Section de médecine fondamentale / Département de biologie structurale et bioinformatique Faculté de médecine / Section de médecine clinique / Département de radiologie et informatique médicale

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Deploying portable ultrasonography with remote assistance for isolated physicians in Africa: lessons from a pilot study in Mali	Studies in health technology and informatics			2010	696	213

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Naef, Jean-Marc