Web opens world of better healthcare
PHYSICAL limitations to accessing quality healthcare could soon be a thing of the past, according to one of South Africa’s healthcare experts.
The head of the surgical division at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital, Alp Numanoglu, said technological advancements had paved the way for web-based education in the medical field.
He was giving a talk at the annual Eyabantwana Trust lecture at the East London Resource Centre on Tuesday.
“Teaching and skills training through the web is fast becoming popular. It has enabled us to reach out to masses all over the world, and has opened the way to new and unexplored research possibilities.”
Numanoglu said Red Cross, in collaboration with the University of Cape Town, was spearheading web-based learning in Africa.
He was quick to add, however, that online teaching wasn’t replacing physical education, but rather opening more opportunities in the global medical fraternity.
“As technology continuously improves, conference video-calling and uploading videos for online skills training has added another dimension to sharing medical knowledge.
“Instead of being limited to a boardroom table to discuss medical cases, we’re now able to have ‘round tables’ from anywhere in the world. We’re now able to conduct international meetings, and share the medical cases we encounter and our experiences.”
He said skyping for medical reasons was gaining momentum and becoming “a thing”.
“Patients are on the good receiving end. Being able to communicate with medical experts across the country will reduce the need for referrals between provinces. And the global link-up means more expertise is able to come together to treat patients.
“A doctor who is based in a limited-resource setting will now be able to conduct surgeries from that location with the help of experts online.”
He said live surgeries and operative workshops improve training and education, and therefore the quality of care patients would receive. “Operations that have never been done here are now a possibility because of the web,” he added.
Trust member Milind Chitnis, who heads paediatric surgery at Frere Hospital, said web-based education would soon be possible in the Eastern Cape. “It will happen. We’ll be able to link our remote area hospitals to a bigger network of doctors and experts.
“Our country is burdened by a shortage of specialist practitioners, while our disease burden is extremely high.”
Numanoglu said: “This kind of teaching and learning requires a mindset change. More people need to be aware it can be done. The largest resistance is on safety in medical procedures and patient confidentiality, but web-based education is a safe way to ensure quality healthcare is delivered from anywhere in the world.” —