INTRODUCTION

The Ibero American Science, Technology and Education Consortium (ISTEC) was formed over 10 years ago in an effort to facilitate collaboration between the universities in Latin America, Spain and the United States, particularly focused on the disciplines of engineering and technology. Based at the University of New Mexico (UNM) campus, ISTEC has grown to a network of over 100 Universities across the Americas and Spain (http://www.istec.org). Recognizing the importance of the application of communication networks, information technologies, and engineering to the emerging area of Telemedicine and Telehealth Health, leaders of ISTEC approached those individuals involved in Telehealth and associated with their member institutions and about the potential collaboration with the ISTEC. The proposed concept was to leverage the expertise of ISTEC members and their network to facilitate the development of a Telesalud “network of networks” across the Americas and Spain. This vision is very complimentary to that of ATALACC.

The ISTEC Telesalud Project (http://salud.istec.org) was then conceived by an international group of medical doctors, health workers, and engineers interested in developing a collaborative program to share common experiences in the biomedical field. The objectives are not only medical in nature; rather, the program aims at developing a new interdisciplinary space that integrates biomedicine, engineering, computer science, and other disciplines. The Project seeks sustainable technological solutions to improve medical/health care access for underserved communities in the region, and to provide innovative ways to facilitate access to knowledge and services in these fields.

The current vision is to launch this program as an embedded component of ISTEC’s existing 4 initiatives. As a first step, it is planned to create the infrastructure that will allow us to identify collaborators, set standards and common platforms to develop particular projects, and set collaborative efforts between interested parties. Once these programs/projects are identified and funding is secured, there exists the possibility of maturing these efforts into their own initiatives within the ISTEC framework.

ISTEC SALUD PROGRAM VISION

Continued advances in information technologies, computing and communication systems are enabling improved access to healthcare information, health services, research and education independent of distance. In combination, these distance technologies and health-related applications constitute the concept of Telehealth. In turn, Telehealth is allowing an enhanced means of sharing knowledge and expertise, “leap-frogging” over the barriers of distance and time. Global development and integration of communication systems such as Internet2 are creating opportunities for international collaboration using Telehealth and a platform for exchange with the potential for formation of a true “network of networks” and “virtual collaboratory” that can be used world-wide.

With the assistance of Dr Gonzalo Cartagenova, the newly appointed Program Director of ISTEC Salud, the UNM Center for Telehealth and Cybermedicine Research and ISTEC have been working with other Latin American organizations and universities to develop an international network for cooperative exchange that is complimented through the use of Telehealth technologies. Furthermore, the collaborations will allow sharing of information and experiences in applying Telehealth within their respective countries and programs, as well as share information regarding medical issues of both common international and unique regional public health interest from various perspectives.

Examples of these developing initiatives within ISTEC Salud include student and faculty exchange programs between UNM and Universidad de Carabobo in Venezuela and Universidad Tecnológica Equinoccial (UTE) in Ecuador. These programs would allow the development of face-to-face cooperative exchange projects of mutual interest between countries with improved communication and follow-up using the Telehealth technologies in order to sustain these projects and overcome the additional cost and time of repeated travel. Another project being explored is the integration of Telehealth into the Latin American component of the international tuberculosis program directed by a faculty member from UNM that currently has collaborative sites in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. Similar collaborative projects are being developed regarding cancer case reviews between Mexico and New Mexico. In collaboration between UTE and UNM, boats have been obtained to act as floating clinics with telemedicine capability in the Amazonian region of Ecuador in the Rio Napo and Rio Aquarico, as well as at the port city of Esmeralda on the Pacific coast. The central theme has been focused upon the increased incidence of certain cancers and other public health problems in association with gas and oil drilling in the region. The Telemedicine Centre in Cali Colombia is proposing a similar collaborative project in the Putumayo region. In addition, a team in Venezuela is designing a similar boat equipped to do telemedicine on the Rio Capanaparo in Los Llanos of Venezuela Sur. There is also interest in developing programs that include traditional native healers in the international collaborative Telehealth applications, an important component of wellness and health in many countries. These traditional healers could share their knowledge and experiences with each other, students and conventional health providers. Lastly, a project that allows distributed immersive interactive virtual realty simulation for collaborative real-time medical education and training over Internet2 or other broad-band networks is being explored with several countries, including institutions within Latin America.

Some of the main objectives of ISTEC Salud are very similar to those of ATALACC and include:

1. Develop an international “Sharing Knowledge Network” to share experiences and approaches to particular local needs

2. Integrate engineers and other technology experts with medical and health practitioners in order to create an interdisciplinary critical mass to share research / knowledge in order to improve local issues within a global context

3. Create a distributed, interdisciplinary, inter-institutional international, and interactive network of collaborators to provide a stimulating and synergistic platform for engaging and energizing participants in a variety of domains that support the research, development, and implementation of Telehealth / Telemedicine efforts

4. Develop ideas for joint projects in “Traditional” or “Alternative” healing and Conventional medicine

5. Address common needs to the region, such as rural access to medicine

6. Identify funding sources to create specific projects

7. Facilitate international collaboration and weave a broad spectrum of programs in a manner that honors cultural sovereignty

The application of the cooperative Telehealth concept to the Americas can serve as a model for other countries through-out the world. As the world continues to “shrink”, developing an international telehealth “network of networks” offers an opportunity for cooperation, collaboration, knowledge sharing and improving the health of every individual in the world, applying information technologies for peace and the betterment of mankind. Together, ATALACC and organizations such as ISTEC can realize this significant and critical vision.

Dale C. Alverson, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Medical Director
Center for Telehealth and Cybermedicine Research
University of New Mexico, Health Sciences Center
Albuquerque, NM
USA