“I have a dream” says an excited Dr. Jelle Barentsz, from Radboud University Medical Hospital in The Netherlands as he proudly demonstrates how Fuze technology breaks down the barriers of time and distance to help save a life.
But seeing is believing. Please watch this video:
In an amazing, game-changing display of what might actually be the most powerful use case for Fuze, a group of doctors and specialists from around the world participated in a real-time Fuze Meeting to diagnose a patient’s life-threatening prostate tumor and to evaluate surgery options to be discussed with the patient the following morning. That’s not unusual you say?
It is quite unusual and extraordinary considering that these four doctors are located in Brisbane, Australia, Mt. Sinai hospital in New York City, and on stage at TedTalk in Maastricht, in The Netherlands. Yes, that’s correct, while the patient sleeps at his home in Brisbane, despite geography, time zones, and the extreme distance, his tumor is clearly diagnosed in high definition and his surgery options are discussed amongst globally respected doctors, including a urological surgeon, and a radiation oncologist. Even more incredible than that, when the patient wakes up in the morning, there will be a solution waiting on his front doorstep. The future has arrived and this vision is now a reality. This is the power of Fuze and the future of medicine – Telemedicine to be exact. Telemedicine is loosely defined as the ability for medical industry professionals to diagnose and treat patients (even with the most critical, life-threatening illnesses) from remote corners of the planet through telepresence, without having the patient physically in front of them. Dr. Eric Topol, a leading researcher at Scripps calls it “The Creative Destruction of Medicine.” Call it what you like… we proudly call it Fuze.
I have the honor of sitting on the boards of both a stem cell research company and a biomolecular research institute and am constantly amazed at the advances in stem cell research and the promise of treatments and cures that are closer than we think. Soon, patients requiring colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and cardiac regeneration treatments will serve as beneficiaries of the advancements in stem cell and biomolecular based therapies. Add to this research the power of real-time, visual collaboration and doctors are able to speed the process of diagnosis, improve patient care, and deliver faster treatment. One of the greatest benefits of telemedicine will be the elimination of uncertainty to patients. Face to face collaboration is not only possible, it’s easy and it’s affordable. Specialists can communicate from anywhere, on any and every device; as a result, patients will be afforded the power of speed and certainty in their healthcare decisions. Patients living out the final stages of their lives can now do so without the hassle and worry of traveling back and forth to the doctor’s office anymore.
Patients from all over the world travel to Radboud University in Nijmegen, The Netherlands to gain access to some of the world’s best oncologists, doctors, and surgeons. It’s absurd that patients must travel this far. Fuze makes it possible for these specialists to bring an MRI and a diagnosis to your town, right to your doorstep and in so doing, will inform and speed up diagnosis and therapy solutions. This serves to individualize treatment and eliminate uncertainty for the patient.
At a recent event, in front of a large audience in Maastricht, Dr. Jelle Barentsz from Radbound University hosted a Fuze Meeting, linking in specialists from all around the world to his presentation. These specialists included Dr. Les Thomson from Brisbane Australia, who’s patient is a 70 year old man with an aggressive and difficult prostate tumor. By taking advantage of Fuze’s capabilities, these doctors collaborated over an MRI diagnosis and suggested a “smart” surgery treatment for the ailing patient. Joining Dr. Barentsz and Dr. Thomson were David Samadi, Vice Chairman of Urology at Mt Sinai, in New York, and Dr. Emile Van Lin, a renowned radiation oncologist from Radboud University. The doctors joined together via Fuze technology to assist Dr. Thomson with the diagnosis of the tumor and to discuss smart surgery options for the patient. Dr. Lin joined the Fuze Meeting from the front row of the auditorium on his iPad. This was a powerful presentation and a testament to how doctors from all over the world can consult and collaborate with the same patient.
Prostate cancer is a tough one. Sadly, fifty percent of all men will eventually be diagnosed with prostate cancer. But, we can more effectively fight it, as well as other life-threatening diseases by lowering the time it takes to diagnose, consult, treat, and cure.
As Dr. Barentsz clearly states, “You only see what you look for. The technology is there.” By Fuzing, doctors can speed-up communication and fight disease faster than ever before. Again, the future is here.
We know that a combination of MRIs and the innovative use of robotic technologies have already saved thousands of lives. We are certain that through the use of Fuze, doctors will be able to save thousands, maybe even millions more.
The team at FuzeBox would like to congratulate Dr. Barentsz and his colleagues for pushing the science of communication and real-time collaboration forward. We salute you and are honored to have you using our technology to save lives and change the world. Thank you.
by, Jeff Cavins
CEO of FuzeBox
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