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U21 and the Swinfen Charitable Trust |
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Universitas 21 and the
Swinfen Charitable Trust
work together to address global
e-health issues and look for ways of increasing and distributing medical
knowledge. Their joint activities seek to ensure that every patient in
the developing world has available to them the best possible medical
support and that every doctor who works in a vulnerable situation or in
isolation has the support needed to carry out their work to the very
best of their ability.
 The Swinfen
Charitable Trust (SCT), founded in 1998 by Lord and Lady Swinfen, has the aim of
assisting poor, sick and disabled people in the developing world as well as
supporting conflict and post-conflict regions through a low-cost,
highly-effective email system delivering telemedical referrals and consultation.
The Trust currently offers online advice by eminent medical specialists to 123
hospitals from 32 countries and since its first referral was sent in 1999,
advice has been given on 1570 referrals. These statistics are increasing on a
monthly basis and demonstrate the rapid rate of continual growth.
In 2006, an initiative was
undertaken between U21’s
Health Sciences group and SCT to create a forum to use
the pioneering activities the charity is developing and the medical expertise
and resources of U21, to address global health issues and further the aims of
SCT. Together they are seeking major funds to enable this strategic second phase
of telemedical education and support to expand to its full potential and fulfill
its ambitious vision. We aim to demonstrate the following:
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the
potential for e-health and e-learning services
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a vision
for medical training and health provision
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a planned
contribution to the delivery of global e-health care
Global potential of telemedicine – bridging the healthcare divide
 Three
quarters of the world's population live in developing countries or in
conflict and post-conflict areas where vulnerable people strive to
create a better life. In these circumstances healthcare is often far
from ideal and doctors are frequently generalists working in isolation
and in difficult conditions where it can be impossible to obtain a
specialist opinion in complex cases. Telehealth can be used to obtain
expert advice, either from a larger healthcare centre in the same
country, or from a specialist in another country. That is, it can be
used as a tool to link isolated communities and health workers with
others; it can be used to bridge the healthcare divide.
Developing
countries are beginning to explore the role of telehealth in the provision of
adequate healthcare services. However, it is already clear that rural health
care workers need to be supported by an infrastructure that provides technical
support, appropriate education and training to enable them to operate telehealth
equipment.
Telehealth leads to better treatment:
it’s up to date
it’s sustainable
it’s fast
it’s simple
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“I believe the work of the Swinfen Charitable Trust is absolutely indispensable.
This service is badly needed and offers support to hospitals in rural areas as
well as those within the cities, like Kabul. These hospitals have poor medical
resources and through this service lives of many are saved and the medical staff
can operate with confidence and a sense of being supported. It is a great
initiative and we should be doing everything possible to ensure its
sustainability and growth.”
Dr Jacqui Hill, Medical Director of Cure International, Kabul, September 2007 |
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The vision – bringing the best of world medicine to some of the most
needy people on the earth helps to create a better and sustainable life.
 The future of global health lies in global collaboration and education.
The Health Science professionals at U21 universities have made a financial and
academic commitment to examine worldwide e-health provision. Universitas 21 and
the Swinfen Charitable Trust together are contributing to this research as an
international academic body and plan to develop and strengthen their position in
this ambitious quest. It wishes to create innovative programs in educating
future generations of doctors and medical staff caring for those in need from
vulnerable populations. Together they are seeking to secure funding to realise a
vision which will make a distinct contribution to shaping and leading the way in
global e-health care.
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“The tremendous usefulness and benefits of the email referral system to our
needy patients could be summarized in three points. The first benefit is its
provision of modern clinical practice to our patients through the link with
distinguished consultants in different specialties who have devoted their time
and efforts to the help of patients freely and willingly. In this matter, I can
give an example of how one of our patients benefited from this link. A teenage
girl presented with severe pulmonary oedema due to pre-eclampsia at thirty weeks
gestation. Upon our request, the advisory obstetrician and anaesthetist
responded swiftly, generously and efficiently. Under their supervision, the
local medical team managed to control the case and prolong her pregnancy for
another two weeks and managed to deliver her under spinal anaesthesia. Happily,
the mother and baby left the hospital recovered.
The second beneficial point is learning. The advisory consultant’s
replies were not brief and concise replies, but they were long, detailed
information and instructive. They were rich in modern knowledge about the
specific case. Occasionally there were referrals to useful websites for further
details. Our obstetric unit took advantage of this and now most of our caesarean
sections are being performed under spinal anaesthetic instead of general
anaesthesia due to the instruction of the advisory anaesthetist.
The last useful point, which is not perceptible, is its effects on the
behaviour of the recipient doctors. The telemedical staff practiced the virtue
of love, care and assistance to patients and doctors whom they do not know. This
inspired us to behave similarly to our patients and to our colleagues.”
A doctor using SCT’s referral system.
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“The advice given with scalp avulsion supported my opinion and I did the job
more confidently; the results were excellent.
The life of a small girl injured in a terrorist attack in Mosul was
saved with help from many surgeons and plastic surgeons. This one was of the
most difficult cases I’ve faced. The opinions of your Trust consultants have
helped in some instances to change and in others to support the ways of
treatment.”
A
doctor using SCT’s referral system.
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