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| VPICU hosts telemedicine participant symposium - March 2, 2002 |
| The Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier VPICU sponsored a day long telemedicine symposium for five area hospitals and Stryker Communications. Attendees included – Antelope Valley Hospital – John Lynn, M.D. Wadie Tadros, M.D., Tricia Foster, R.N., Dianne Hunn, R.N.; Childrens Hospital Los Angeles – Randall Wetzel, MB, BS, MS Bus, FAAP, FCCM, Paul King, V.P. Clinical Services, Chris Baker, R.N.; Northridge Hospital Medical Center – Kathi Alfe, R.N., Becky Worcester, R.N., Richard Conkle, IS/IT; Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center – Cynthia Tinsley, M.D., Michele Atkins-Young, MBA, Laurie Hummel, R.N.; and from Stryker Communications Inc. – Rick Strobridge, VP Ops, Darren Masingale, Mati Akk and Mike Pusateri.
The purpose of the meeting was to introduce the hospitals participating in the VPICU telemedicine network to each other and design the implementation plan.
Activities for the day were led by the Director of the VPICU – Randall Wetzel and included meeting each other for the first time face to face, overviews of goals and the mission of VPICU, history as well as a look into the future of telemedicine. Rick Strobridge (Stryker) was our keynote speaker. He shared his early experiences in telemedicine, where he began with the Navy’s Top Gun School and the Department of Defense. He is both nationally and internationally known for his work in teleconferencing and networking systems. This practical experience helped shape the vision, for those of us present, of what is possible technologically for healthcare and real time communication.
Special thanks and recognition to the remainder of our speakers. Darren Masingale (Stryker) gave everyone their first view of the remote site carts and their functionality. Paul King (CHLA) discussed the administrative and business challenges and opportunities involved in spearheading telemedicine initiatives in health care communities. His previous work in bringing the Blue Cross Healthy Families hub and spoke initiative to CHLA provided everyone with valuable insight into what work lies ahead. Dr. Wetzel, who shared his long held goals of creating a common information space for a community of care-givers in an effort to increase access to care for critically ill children, tied the diverse themes together and brought focus to the day’s efforts.
The afternoon brought break out sessions, allowing physicians, IS/IT personnel, site coordinators and administrative representatives the opportunity to discuss and plan specific issues related to the project. Discussion in the respective areas centered around what success would look like at their individual institutions, what community each of them currently serves for critically ill children, how their individual infrastructures would be able to manage a project such as this with the least amount of disruption to current provision of care, whether or not they felt the project (as defined) would work, any fears/concerns they might be able to articulate at this point and a to do list. This ambitious and productive day was brought to a close by sharing once again as a collective group the efforts put forth throughout the afternoon.
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