Record number of high schools participate in live surgery broadcast
Thanks to the adoption of new video-conferencing technology at UK, a record number of Kentucky high schools were able to participate in the annual interactive broadcast of a live surgery at UK Hospital last November.
The November 15 broadcast went out to 20 Kentucky high schools and reached an estimated 400 juniors and seniors, said Michael Witt, Health Careers Program Coordinator for the UK Area Health Education Cooperative (AHEC). Participants were from high schools in all eight AHEC regions across Kentucky, including several rural counties in eastern and western sections of the Commonwealth.
For this broadcast, Dr. Joseph Iocono, chief of the division of pediatric surgery at UK, arranged for students to view a laparoscopic appendectomy. Dr. John Draus, associate professor of pediatric surgery, performed the operation while Dr. Iocono narrated to the students and fielded questions.
“We have been fortunate to have a UK pediatric surgery team be the broadcast’s facilitator for the last several years,” said Witt. By setting up a system where one surgeon performs the operation while another provides commentary, the patient’s safety is maximized while simultaneously creating an immersive experience for the students, Dr. Iocono commented.
“The arrangement also allows me to engage students and encourage their active participation,” added the surgeon.
Dr. Iocono could see and hear the students in their respective classrooms across Kentucky. The students can ask questions at all stages of the procedure. And if they’re too much like typical teenagers and are reluctant to speak, Dr. Iocono will ask questions of them, Witt said.
Advanced video technology gives the high school students a surgeon’s perspective on the procedure. The MIS camera feed show students the same images that the surgical team views during the operation. Students can see the delicate work and audio transmission allows them to hear the surgical team interact. It is as though they are in the operating room themselves, Witt said.
The ultimate goal of the surgery broadcast is to inspire students to explore careers in health care, Witt explained. The demonstration, however, accomplishes far more. It is an excellent way for students to witness professionals applying the lessons in biology, chemistry, technology, or other related subjects. One of the common lessons highlighted with each broadcast is the number of medical specialties represented in the operating room. Students learn that a surgeon’s success depends on the work of an entire team of specialists, nurses, and support techs.
Great care is taken, of course, to protect and secure patient privacy, Witt said. Nevertheless, Witt said the patient and their families are fully informed and provide the permissions necessary to allow the broadcast to go forward. In fact, most families are glad to give consent when they understand the goals of the program, said Witt.
UK hitches to a cloud to improve its outreach.
Live surgery broadcasts from UK, which began in 2009, are an ongoing collaboration involving UK AHEC, Kentucky Tele-Health, and the UK College of Medicine. The program is a key component in AHEC’s efforts to build and maintain a health careers pipeline in Kentucky. Support from the Department of Surgery and its chair, Dr. Jay Zwischenberger, has allowed the live broadcast to grow and flourish.
Interestingly, the growth in those interested in participating in the live surgery program has been concurrent with the increasing sophistication of UK’s videoconference technology. “In the past seven years, the technology has advanced at an incredible rate,” said Rob Sprang, director of Kentucky Tele-Health at UK.
In 2009, the numbers of students who could watch and participate in the surgery broadcast numbered only a few dozen. Seven years later, that same live broadcast was received by 20 high schools, involved several hundred students, and could have accommodated more, Sprang said. Neither UK nor any public school system is required to purchase expensive hardware to receive high quality video conference services. That reduction in hardware costs is a big change from almost two decades ago when telemedicine services started, commented Sprang. It wasn't long ago when UK had to buy equipment that was expensive, bulky, and unreliable. Even worse, those receiving UK’s broadcast had to own similar equipment. Few school systems could afford it.
In 2016, UK invested in ZOOM, a company that specializes in cloud-based video conference technology among other services. The surgery broadcast presented a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the advantages and the efficiency that a company like ZOOM can provide, Sprang said. For the live surgery, all UK had to do was tap into the Stryker in-light cameras and microphones within the UK Surgical Suites and grant permission for participating school systems to stream the live feed from ZOOM’s “cloud” to any smart classroom or device.
The broadcast image is in high definition, the sound is clear, and the cost is a mere fraction of the price tag that UK HealthCare and Kentucky’s school systems used to pay, said Sprang. Most important of all, he continued, “The technology works. The glitches and problems we had 20 years ago, they just don’t happen that often anymore.”
Furthermore, the technology allows for UK to reach out to ever wider audiences. If the organizers had so chosen, they could have easily added more participants to view the surgery broadcast.
A good problem to have. Meeting increasing demand through AHEC Summer camps
The only reason AHEC limited participation to the first 20 schools was a practical one.
“It’s important that the program be interactive. We pushed its limits with the 400 students. If we increase the audience, we lose that valuable communication between students and Dr. Iocono,” Witt said. “But the demand is out there and we are considering possible solutions to meet that demand.”
Knowing that the technology is available to meet the growing demand from students is yet another “good problem” for AHEC to have, Witt said. The surgery broadcast is just one small part AHEC’s strategy to connect teens with UK’s clinical and research staff so they may experience first-hand a whole range of possible careers in health care. Another avenue for experience is for high school juniors and seniors to attend AHEC’s Summer Enrichment Program or the Health Researchers Youth Academy
High school juniors or seniors can apply to attend AHEC’s annual Summer Enrichment Program or the Health Researchers Youth Academy in the summer, said Witt. These special camps provide students an overview of work in clinical care settings or in laboratory settings if they have an interest in scientific research.
There is no cost to attend these camps, but admission is very competitive. The deadline to apply for either of the two camps in 2017 is March 6. Those interested can apply for admission at this website: https://medicine.mc.uky.edu/ukaheccamp/.
