Finding tech passion in an unlikely place

With many gains in health information technology over the past decade, newly appointed National Coordinator for Health IT Vindell Washington, MD, took time at Health 2.0 last week to describe his first experience with health technology, what it means for the health care community and new tools for physicians and entrepreneurs. Dr. Washington found his passion for health care technology as a captain in the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Haiti leading the emergency department in the 28th combat support hospital when a patient presented with “a fever, a rash, a really unusual constellation of symptoms,” he said. Unable to diagnose the patient, Dr. Washington and his colleagues took the advice of a Colonel who suggested using the new equipment that may be helpful.“We literally drove the Humvee to the side of the emergency department and set up our first satellite telemedicine hookup,” Dr. Washington said. “In about 20 minutes we had consult from the Walter Reed Army Medical Center helping us with the case … a dermatologist and an infectious disease d octor [helped us] make our first diagnosis of porphyria [a rare skin or nervous system disorder].”“We were able to help that soldier and get him evacuated out of theater,” he said. “At the time I thought to myself, the way I practice medicine moving forward won’t ever be the same. Once you have had access to technology that allows you to significantly improve patient outcomes … you nev er want to go back. An...
Source: AMA Wire - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Source Type: news