Videoconferencing vendor Polycom [PLCM] has awarded its first partner specialisation for healthcare to MultiSense Communications.
The award was presented for MultiSense’s work to develop clinical solutions for the NHS with Polycom HDX technology at their core, including a remote stroke assessment system. By using the MultiSense Telestroke solution, consultants can access a remote A&E department or Acute Stroke Unit from a laptop and observe the patient, along with access to patient vital signs and scan images. This solution enables consultants to keep their services running even during out of hours.
MultiSense has also developed an interactive solution for the broadcast of live operations; “We host a number of surgical conferences each year during which we broadcast live surgery procedures to delegates,” says Dr. Declan Murphy, consultant urologist at Guy’s & St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. “These are usually located in the conference rooms of our postgraduate teaching centre or in nearby hotels. In the past, we relied on ISDN lines, microwave links, or satellite connections to achieve the high levels of quality needed to send the live surgery images. This involved the use of external contractors and proved to be very expensive.”
“This qualification justifies the investment and strategy we embarked upon some four years ago, creating solutions for medical teams everywhere,” says Andrew Graley, director of healthcare solutions at MultiSens. “When we set out to specialise in the healthcare sector, we immediately identified gaps in the types of solutions being offered by other manufacturers versus the requirements of the clinical teams trying to use them.”
“Equipment being installed was more technology focused than patient centric,” adds Graley. “We started by spending time with the clinical teams at the leading edge of healthcare delivery. By observing the teams in action, working with them and understanding the challenges they faced daily, we have been able to produce some innovative healthcare solutions which have a direct impact on improving patient care.”
“There is currently a big transformation happening in the public sector with technology leading many of the changes,” says Aaron Payne, VP UK/Ireland at Polycom. “The solutions MultiSense develops are groundbreaking and directly help front line staff which in turn improves the experience for patients across the United Kingdom.”
