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Broadcast Quality Teleconferencing for Oncology

^a Belfast City Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland; ^b St. Luke's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

Correspondence: James J. A. McAleer, M.D., FRCP, FRCR, Consultant/Senior Lecturer in Oncology, Northern Ireland Cancer Centre, Belfast City Hospital, Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AB, Ireland. Telephone: 44-28-9069-9315; Fax: 44-28-9069-9337; e-mail: smcaleer{at}compuserve.com

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Bethesda, Maryland has developed a broadcast-quality teleconferencing system known as the Telesynergy^TM system to address the need to convey expert information between larger cancer centers and their remote counterparts. This system is available to "Partnerships in Science Program" partners across the U.S. Recently, it has been made available in Ireland under a "Memorandum of Understanding" among the Department of Health and Children of Ireland, the Department of Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland, and the NCI. The Telesynergy system is capable of transmitting not only broadcast-quality teleconferencing among several different sources, but also diagnostic-quality radiology and pathology images. Remote operated microscopes and video cameras allow biopsy specimens to be discussed and manipulated from several different locations. Smear preparations of blood, bone marrow, and other cytological specimens can be examined in detail by a remote operator. The system can also transmit conventional x-ray images and paper documents. The Telesynergy system ensures that each patient, regardless of location, will receive an expert assessment and be given optimal therapy. While the system is currently being developed in Ireland for use in oncology, it is hoped that other specialties can benefit from it in the future.

Key Words. Teleconference • Oncology • National Cancer Institute • Telesynergy

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