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TECHNOLOGY LEADS TO LONG DISTANCE, TEAM-BASED APPROACH TO CANCER CASES

On Thursday, September 28, at 7:00 a.m., the University of Virginia Cancer Center and Office of Telemedicine in partnership with the Coastal Cancer Center at Virginia Beach General Hospital will conduct a joint cancer board meeting by teleconference, a first in the state. Physicians from both hospitals will have the opportunity to receive feedback about diagnosis and treatment of current patients from colleagues at the other institution.

Not only will the teleconference technology allow participants to see one another, it will also permit real time viewing of a variety of images including pathology slides, mammograms and even cancer cells themselves. For example, as a pathologist at one institution places a slide under the microscope, physicians at the other institution will instantly view the image on a video screen.

U.Va. and Virginia Beach General have a long relationship of sharing expertise. David Cattell-Gordon, director of community relations for the U.Va. Cancer Center said discussing care in this framework of shared learning can only lead to better patient care at both institutions. He added that there are numerous future uses of this technology that could allow Virginians with cancer better access to U.Va. experts.

September 27, 2000