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Taking Advantage of Open Source Technologies for the Development of Clinical Simulation Centers and Virtual Hospitals for Training and R&D

Key Investigators

• Juan Ruiz (ULPGC)
• Idafen Santana (ULPGC)
• Mario Monzón (ULPGC)
• Miguel Angel Rodriguez-Florido (ULPGC)
• Marta Latorre (ULPGC)
• Marina Elistratova Elistratova (ULPGC)
• Maica Fernández (ULPGC)
• David Garcia-Mato (Ebatinca S.L.)
• Javier Gonzalez-Fernandez (ITC)
• Natalia Arteaga-Marrero (IACTEC)
• Oumar Kane
• Ablaye Tacko Diop
• Ousmane Dia
• Mame Abdoulaye Gueye
• Mouhamedi Bah
• Aliou Barry
• Cheikh Sidi Ethmane
• Edmée Clémence Mansilla
• Estelle Tcheple Tuo
• Geir Arne Tangen (SINTEF - Norway)
• Javier Pascau (UC3M - Spain)
• Juan León (HGUGM - Spain)

Project Description

Open source technologies have opened up a world of possibilities for the development of clinical simulation centers and virtual hospitals. This proect aims to explore how these technologies can be used to create innovative projects in the healthcare sector. We will discuss how open source technologies can support virtual hospitals and simulation centers, and how this could benefit both patients and healthcare providers. We will also look at the potential use cases of such projects, their impact on patient care, and their potential cost savings. Finally, we will discuss the challenges that need to be addressed in order to make these projects successful.

Objectives

1. To identifiy which tecnology and computer-based applications can be usefull for the partner’s simulation centers.
2. To know the profile of trainees for each simulation center.
3. To identify how to improve the simulation resources that we currently have.
4. To take into account the training needs.

Approach and Plan

1. We created a workteam to discuss the objetives.
2. We shared information with the partners about computer-based simulation in Africa.
3. We defined some tasks to work in: To identifiy apps based-on Slicer that could be used for education, to join researchers from other PW38 that propose open-source resourses (phantoms, apps, etc.) and to discuss in small groups for regions/countries.
4. We proposed to study and research about the impact of simulation in economy in health.

Progress and Preliminar Results

1. We had a good acceptance of the participants to work in this project. We did an start-meeting on Tueday and a wrap-up one a Friday.
2. We merged this project with the presentation and demos at the Virtual Hospital at the University of Las Palmas:
3. We saw and used apps based on Slicer that are thought for training and medical education:

Conclusion & Outlook

This project let us advance in the team cooperation for merging ideas and getting information of each partner. We learnt the capabilities and needs of each partner and how to include the open source technology developed around Slicer. In summary, we can show the main ideas that we got from our partners in Africa:

• Our partners from Africa are interested in training for gynecologists and the reanimation for newborn babies. In our workgroup, and around Slicer, there are some applications for both kind of education. Then, these apps will be evaluated to test their performance and learning goals.
• Oumar is interested for his Center in the VR apps for learning anatomy that they saw in the visit of the Virtual Hospital. Also, he is interested in the delivery app (2) based on Slicer that it’s proposed in this PW38 event. He proposes to develop applications to make the anamnesis (oral and clinical exploration). In this line, we think that the VR could help us to achieve this goal. He is interested in all apps that can help for endotracheal intubation and reanimation.
• Mr. Mouhamedi Ahmed Haidara Bah, director of the Public Health School at Rosso, said that they don’t have technical resources to implement the technology that ha has seen at this event, but his group is very interested for including this kind of tech in vessels’ punctions and obstetrics’s healthcare.
• Khedijetou Vilaly M.D., is an gynecologist from Hospital Mère Enfant de Nouakchott, interested in the ultrasound guided procedures and the manufacturing of breast’s phantoms.
• Ahmed Dhahara Kane, professor at the Medical School and physician in Pediatric Surgery, is interested in virtual reality apps and the manufacturing of phantoms for teaching.

Also, from a point of view of the economy in health, Marina Elistratova and Maica Fernández are working in research about how the education in health using this kind open source tools can help to save money for the health system. This work is just starting with this project and it is in progress now.

References

1. Training system for US-guided lung interventions
2. Fetal Ultrasound Simulation for Delivery Training
3. Slicer + IMSTK for low cost training setups
4. Development of Anatomy Atlases and Training Tools with 3D Slicer
5. Virtual Hospital at the University of Las Palmas