Remote Mentoring of Point-of-Care Ultrasound Skills to Inexperienced Operators Using Multiple Telemedicine Platforms: Is a Cell Phone Good Enough?

OBJECTIVES: Telemedicine technology contributes to the teaching of point-of-care ultrasound (US); however, expensive equipment can limit its deployment in resource-challenged settings. We assessed 3 low-cost telemedicine solutions capable of supporting remote US training to determine feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness. We also explored the value of instructional videos immediately before telementoring. METHODS: Thirty-six participants were randomly assigned to receive US mentoring in 1 of 3 telemedicine conditions: multiple fixed cameras, a smartphone, and traditional audio with a live US stream. Participants were then asked to perform a standardized US examination of the right upper quadrant under remote guidance. We measured observer's global ratings of performance along with the mentor's and student's rating of effort and satisfaction to determine which of the 3 approaches was most feasible, acceptable, and effective. During the second phase, students were randomized to watch an instructional video or not before receiving remote coaching on how to complete a subxiphoid cardiac examination. Effort, satisfaction, and performance from the independent observer's and student's perspective were surveyed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the different telemedicine setups from the observer's perspective; however, the mentor rated the smartphone significantly worse (P = .028-.04) than other technologies. Platforms were rated equivalent from the student's perspective. No benefit was detected for watching an instructional video before the mentored task. CONCLUSIONS: Remote US skills can be taught equally effectively by using a variety of telemedicine technologies. Smartphones represent a viable option for US training in resource-challenged settings.

Augmented Reality as a Telemedicine Platform for Remote Procedural Training.

Traditionally, rural areas in many countries are limited by a lack of access to health care due to the inherent challenges associated with recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals. Telemedicine, which uses communication technology to deliver medical services over distance, is an economical and potentially effective way to address this problem. In this research, we develop a new telepresence application using an Augmented Reality (AR) system. We explore the use of the Microsoft HoloLens to facilitate and enhance remote medical training. Intrinsic advantages of AR systems enable remote learners to perform complex medical procedures such as Point of Care Ultrasound (PoCUS) without visual interference. This research uses the HoloLens to capture the first-person view of a simulated rural emergency room (ER) through mixed reality capture (MRC) and serves as a novel telemedicine platform with remote pointing capabilities. The mentor's hand gestures are captured using a Leap Motion and virtually displayed in the AR space of the HoloLens. To explore the feasibility of the developed platform, twelve novice medical trainees were guided by a mentor through a simulated ultrasound exploration in a trauma scenario, as part of a pilot user study. The study explores the utility of the system from the trainees, mentor, and objective observers' perspectives and compares the findings to that of a more traditional multi-camera telemedicine solution. The results obtained provide valuable insight and guidance for the development of an AR-supported telemedicine platform.