TIDES - Quality Radiology Support - Good Health Outcomes
Report by: Suresh de Silva
Providing collegial support to our colleagues in developing nations is of paramount importance to Radiology Across Borders. What we take for granted in developed nations is a luxury in many countries.
Radiology in The Cook Islands without a Radiologist...
Illustrated in the Cook Islands, a beautiful group of 15 islands, spread over an area of 1,960,027km of ocean, it has around 19,000 people but no Radiologist.
Over the past few months, through our TIDES infrastructure project, we have been providing second opinions for difficult radiology cases in the Cook Islands. Pro bono Radiologists have been donating their spare time to interpret cases remotely from Australia and New Zealand.
This has made a very significant and tangible difference in enabling better health care management of their patients. In addition it has greatly improved financial outcomes as it has enabled the doctors in the Cook Islands to determine which patients can stay on site and which patients need to be transferred to New Zealand for specialised treatment - saving much needed funds that can be spent in other areas.
A recent case study...
One recent example is of a 70 yr old male, VR, who was admitted for upper intestinal bleeding and severe anemia. X-rays and ultrasound were requested as part of the patient’s work up.
The RAB pro bono on call Radiologist elaborated findings from the ultrasound images and suggested portal hypertension and potential variceal bleeding and suggested a gastroscopy to check for oesophageal varices due to symptoms of severe anemia.
A gastroscopy was performed which revealed oesophageal varices. The patient’s symptoms and health improved significantly and consequently he did not need to be referred overseas for further management and was simply managed by local physicians.
This is just one of many cases where the TIDES infrastructure project providing second opinions has had a significant impact on outcomes in developing nations!
Expanding our reach...
We would like to grow this project to other developing nations in the Indo Pacific and beyond. If you are a Radiologist who would like to be a part of this unique project, or your organisation would like to have more information, please reach out to suresh@radiologyacrossborders.
