July 30, 1993
Subject: COMPUMED Mailing List
From: virgilio@epas.utoronto.ca (Paul di Virgilio)

COMPUMED on LISTSERV@SJUVM.BITNET         Computers in Medicine
         or listserv@sjuvm.stjohns.edu

Software and Hardware Developments in Medicine & the Medical Curriculum

CompuMed is a moderated discussion group featuring the role of
computers in medicine.  The list is of interest to administrators
in hospitals and universities developers, government officials in
the sciences and social services, students in medical faculties and
software and hardware suppliers to government, hospital centres and
universities.  The list has dealt with six themes as a two month
conference organized by the University of Twente in the
Netherlands.  These themes will be the focus for future discussion,
although the discussion need not be limited to these themes:

1. The electronic simulation of high tech medical equipment like
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and PET through the implementation
of virtual reality and multi-media techniques in order to orient
medical students and practising physicians in the use of high tech
equipment which might not be readily available at their school or
hospital.

2. The use of computers to facilitate preventive medicine such as
better techniques for regulating diabetes through computer
orientation for both patients and physicians.

3. The use of computers to upgrade world health, with a particular
emphasis on the diversity of medical care in various populations.

4. The use of software to prevent computer and keyboard related
injuries and to provide orientation for physical therapists in the
correction of injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome.

5. The use of computers to educate the public about disabilities
and to improve the quality of life and access to public facilities
like libraries for the handicapped.

6. The use of high performance computers to deliver databases to
long term care patients like victims of TBI (traumatic brain
injury), family physicians and urban hospitals.

To subscribe to the list send a message to listserv@sjuvm.bitnet or
listserv@sjuvm.stjohns.edu with the message:

      sub compumed firstname lastname

Subscription is not automatic and requests will be forwarded to the
listowner for processing.

   Owner:  Dr. Paul S. di Virgilio  virgilio@epas.utoronto.ca
           University of Toronto

------------------------- Additional Information ---------------------

Dear Networker:

          After  a somewhat successful conference lasting two
          months with 37 participants in 10 countries, we are
          now contemplating the future of our list.  During the
          two month period we exchanged about 120 communications
          touching on almost all of the topics listed and a few
          side issues. This message announces a new list dealing
          with the topics discussed in the conference about
          computers in medicine.

          We intend to offer a continuing listserv serving that
          segment of the community which has not yet found a
          list dealing with their medical concerns.

                         CompuMed
                  (Computers in Medicine)

     The conference deals with  high performance computing and its
implementation in the medical profession. The discussion has already
been in progress for two months as a conference. The forty participants come
from every sector of computer science and medicine and represent
ten different countries ranging from Malaysia to the United States.
At present, we are archiving about fifty documents dealing with various
supercomputer applications and work station standards for developing databases,
medical curricula for allied health students, medical schools and
practising physicians, and the use of virtual reality in developing tools
for training medical students and presenting materials for disability
networks like EASI. We have also accumulated resource files indexing
material currently available in databases for consultative use in the
medical profession ( this material would be suitable for use in the
family practitioner's office as well as in the emergency wards of
large urban hospitals).  One of our major concerns has been the
delivery of cost-effective health care on a global basis. At present,
participants are initiating the development of software and online help files
for long term medical care in cases of (TBI) traumatic brain
injury. These files are particularly oriented toward helping survivors
of TBI and their families cope with the daily need for consultation
which might not be available or might surpass the economic resources
of the family.

      Since I was acting as a moderator in the early stages of the
discussion, I was asked to continue and to extend an invitation to the list
participants to enter into the discussion of six major themes.  The
original discussion group lasted for two months from May 1 to July 17.
The group offers a great deal of expertise and
potential for software development and implementation of the
electronic medium as it interacts with experts in several fields
of the medical profession and high performance computing groups in
which I participate.

     Currently, the list is comprised of developers in government projects,
the private sector and universities; government officials and
physicians, who will be able to continue the work initiated by this
conference as a list service.

The discussion themes to date are as follows:


1. The electronic simulation of high tech medical equipment like MRI
(Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and PET through the implementation of
virtual reality and multi-media techniques in order to orient medical
students and practising physicians in the use of high tech equipment
which might not be readily available at their school or hospital.

What cases  would a physician most frequently encounter in his
practise? Which could be adapted to a computer simulation?

Which equipment most needs to be simulated?

2. The use of computers to facilitate preventive medicine such as
better techniques for regulating diabetes through computer orientation
for both patients and physicians.

Which complaints can be  dealt with through this type of electronic
intervention?

ow can this technique be used to help patients make decisions about
surgical procedures and treatment? Example: by-pass surgery or
catheter oblation for blocked arteries.

ow can this techniques prepare the family and the patient for a major
medical intervention and its consequences prior to implementing the procedure?

3. The use of computers to upgrade world health.

What is the profile of the needs of a country like Malaysia?
Can we establish models which will allow us to effectively extend
medical training on a worldwide basis?
Should we establish an electronic network for the exchange of
technologies from various cultures beyond the high tech practise?

4. The use of software to prevent computer and keyboard related
injuries and to provide orientation for physical therapists in the
correction of injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome.

Should this software be distributed to all administrators where
computers are extensively used?

Which are the most frequent types of injury?

Which injuries are chronic and how can we warn people before permanent
damage occurs?

Who is at risk? What is the best mode for representing the risk factor
and portraying the treatment--hypertext, case system, telecast or
multi-media kiosks in high risk locations? Kinesiology.

5. The use of computers to educate the public about disabilities and
to improve the quality of life and access to public facilities like
libraries for the handicapped. This area encompasses two areas of
development: 1) technology to assist blind, deaf and physically
disabled persons to realize their potential and 2) databases and
multi-media software to inform administrators of the problems and
solutions to accessibility.

What is the most effective means for helping those with a restricted
visual field use the computer screen?

What is the most effective means for installing gates and other
devices guaranteeing equal accessibility to the handicapped in
controlled environments like libraries?

What resources are available to the hearing and vision impaired in the
educational environment?

6. The use of high performance computers to deliver databases to long
term care patients like victims of TBI (traumatic brain injury),
family physicians and urban hospitals.

When should the physician use the database?

What online help is already available?

What are the implications of automated systems in the medical environment?


If you would like to contribute examples, discuss possible
applications or suggest learning scenarios or just participate as the
spirit moves you send a message follow the subscription process as described
above.

Dr. Paul S. di Virgilio,  University of Toronto  virgilio@epas.utoronto.ca