Telemedicine for an Active Retirement

Seminar

IUPUI Glendale Campus

Tuesday, February 17, 2004

10 am

Speaker: Eugene M. Helveston, M.D. Emeritus
Vice-president, ORBIS International

After nearly 20 years of international volunteer work in ophthalmology with ORBIS International and others, the thought occurred to me that digitization and the Internet could be a useful tool for consultation and teaching. Overseas visits with intense and satisfying interchange are usually followed by good intentions but little action. Starting in 1999 in Havana, Cuba a telemedicine program was begun. This has grown to 39 partner doctors in 15 sites and 13 countries. What started as an e-mail program is now supported by a dedicated server and sophisticated website. The program went from a one-man operation in 2002 to a major sight saving program of ORBIS International where it has grown over the past year. At the present time, 65 ophthalmologists, both retired and active, are working in this program. Still in the pilot phase, this program when it reaches maturity promises to serve hundreds or even thousands of partners assisted by nearly as many mentors. This program, called Cyber Sight, is limited to ophthalmology, but is potentially adaptable to any area of medicine.