Remote collaboration is how we work now 

Consolidation Makes It Urgent

Consolidation of both resources and organizational processes creates new pools of experience and capability among healthcare stakeholders, which demands that overall skill and care delivery levels be elevated and balanced. Increased healthcare consolidation activity also has led to the aggregation of subject matter experts together. Facilitating ongoing remote communication and knowledge-sharing will be critical to helping clinicians address patient needs and deliver positive outcomes.

I am struck by the clear and present need for new collaboration tools as I speak with industry stakeholders. They emphasized the need for telehealth and tele-ultrasound offerings to better engage remote collaboration to optimize patient outcomes and link new partners. It was interesting to hear how prevalent this conversation was – not only among the North American attendees, but those from around the world as well. The pressure on sharing their expertise and knowledge has continued to challenge their thinking about how to be in “multiple places at once” and better share best practices. As lead of the Philips Point-of-Care Ultrasound business segment, I feel an obligation to take this challenge on and am excited about the opportunity to help our customers more efficiently and effectively connect with their peers, medical experts and most importantly, patients.

Dissolving Geographic Barriers (or, Making the World Smaller)

Remote collaboration allows clinicians to tap into skilled resources who can provide the right experience at the right time, but to do so, all involved need to have access to – and actively embrace –an open communications platform.

When designed and executed successfully, remote collaboration tools make it not only possible but easy for care providers to tap into their wider network to better analyze and treat life-threatening conditions across the world. Remote collaboration tools also serve the growing desire to standardize high-quality care across networks and care locations.

One of most powerful examples of this potential occurred in the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti last year. I learned of a local Haitian physician who, when the earthquake occurred, owned a Philips Lumify with Reacts device, which is not only incredibly portable, but also features integrated tele-ultrasound capability. At the time, he had been learning more advanced ultrasound diagnostic techniques from a peer in Montreal, who ultimately assisted in remotely advising on optimal scanning views in real time. Using the device, the two physicians were able to share the ultrasound experience and work together to enable the physician at the point of care to confidently diagnose the patient.

One of the most exciting things about Lumify with Reacts – as well as similar tools that allow this new type of innovative clinical partnership – is that it expands access to high-quality care to underserved populations around the world. Prior to these resources being available, care providers were often limited in what they could do for their patients, particularly those in rural or remote developing areas. Now, remote collaboration tools allow them to tap new resources in order to solve and treat the most pressing medical challenges, anytime, anywhere.