As mandated by the World Health Organization, those being treated for tuberculosis must be observed taking their medication, since the disease is so contagious and so potentially deadly. Patients don't have much of an option – they have to be in the hospital or in a doctor's office in order to be watched.
Vivid Solutions, a provider of managed video conferencing solutions in New Zealand, is looking to change that. The company, which branched out of the New Zealand Telepaediatric Service (NZTS) in 2008, has designed trial videophones that patients can use at home for medical monitoring.
Vivid's chief executive, Simon Hayden, notes that video is becoming an increasing source of interest in healthcare, which has led to the company to deploy VC Anywhere. Last year, Vivid integrated iPads into the national health network in New Zealand.
Videoconferencing has a valued educational role, as well.
“We also do a lot of teaching and can record a teaching session for later replay,” says Hayden, pointing out that money-savings perk of this, as so many educators are forced to travel to attend seminars.
Vivid Solutions' technology is based on the Polycom platform, and has contracts with all the district health boards, bar Wairarapa, which uses technology from Gen-i.
The renal unit at Whangarei Hospital began using Vivid Solutions’ network in 2010. The technology has helped the unit to plan, troubleshoot, and train nurses. It also saves dialysis patients a trip to Whangarei, and eliminates the need for nurses to be physically present for some training.
Waiaa Saweirs, a consultant nephrologist in the renal unit at Whangarei, notes that the videoconferencing capability provided by Vivid Solutions results in savings of $8,500 a month.
Edited by
Brooke Neuman
