A brand new search initiative from Jim Pattison’s Hospital (JPH) is making entry to ultrasound appointments simpler for expectant moms in rural components of the province.
The MELODY Telerobotic Ultrasound System is the biggest telerobotic ultrasound program on the planet, a information launch from JPH stated.
Dr. Ivar Mendez, director of the digital care and distant presence robotics program, says the analysis initiative will deliver important providers to distant and rural areas.
Mendez says for moms residing in areas the place ultrasound expertise isn’t obtainable the MELODY system permits a sonographer to control a probe and remotely carry out an ultrasound to sufferers with out having to journey lengthy distances.
“For me, the superb factor is that a person can transfer a probe in Saskatoon and the probe will really transfer 600 kilometers away in one other neighborhood in actual time,” Mendes stated on Thursday.
The expertise has been put in in Gravelbourg, La Loche, Stony Rapids and Pelican Narrows and has supplied over 300 ultrasound scans, 80 per cent of them being obstetrical ultrasounds.
“A mom doesn’t need to journey eight hours to Saskatoon, be in a lodge, ready for an ultrasound,” Mendez stated.
Leaving a rural neighborhood for an ultrasound appointment can usually imply sufferers need to take day off of labor, discover childcare for his or her different kids and dear journey.
“There are vital boundaries there, so by and enormous persons are so grateful they’ll have it completed of their neighborhood,” stated Nadine Kanigan, director at The Ultrasound Centre in Saskatoon.
The telerobotic system has some limitations because it does require an web connection.
“Clearly there’s limitations as a result of I’ve to inform somebody the best way to make a number of the greater actions with the ultrasound digicam. The place if I used to be within the room with a affected person, I might simply be doing that by myself.”
The expertise is just obtainable in 4 areas proper now, however the hospital does plan to broaden to different communities within the province down the street.
