NKF cyberNephrology:
Fostering Kidney Medicine’s
Embrace of Technology in
2005 and Beyond!
Kim Solez, M.D.
Every Audience Now Diverse!
Because the Internet is now mainstream, many of
you have already solved most of the Internet
related problems in your professional life. You
already know the basics of creating web, email,
and chat resources.
Nevertheless there are still many positive
surprises, technology advances which can
greatly enhance your professional activities
which you may not be are aware of, video
conferencing, cell phone based resources. So
this presentation will have something for
everyone!
NKF cyberNephrology Human Centered Computing
Fostering
nephrology’s embrace
of the Internet and
new technology since
1994 with Email and
web resources.
Websites which allow
virtual attendance at
meetings, education.
www.cybernephrology.org
www.cyber-medicine.org
Resources
45 Email discussion groups reaching some
5000 subscribers, with offerings for physicians,
other nephrology professionals, patients, and
patients’ families.
Numerous websites with educational and
meeting-related content.
Workshops on telemedicine and evidence
based nephrology, e.g. recently presented in
Karachi and Dubai.
Evidence-Based Medicine
Sir Austin Bradford Hill, British Researcher:
"All scientific work is incomplete- whether it be
observational or experimental. All scientific
work is liable to be upset or modified by
advancing knowledge. This does not confer
upon a freedom to ignore the knowledge we
already have, or to postpone the action that it
appears to demand at a given time. Who knows,
asked Robert Browning, but that the world may
end tonight? True, but on available evidence
most of us make ready to commute on the 8:30
next day."
NKF cyberNephrology provides:
Slide 6
Electronic/Internet versions of NKF publications,
professional and patient education and peer support
over the Internet using Email and web resources,
medical textbooks online, hands on workshops,
symposia, videoconferencing, and technology vision
for the future.
It is the embodiment of kidney medicine’s embrace of
technology.
A wealth of offerings for physicians, other nephrology
professionals, and patients and families at:
www.cybernephrology.org
NKF cyberNephrology can assist
with:
Slide 7
•
Creation of web, email, cell phone (MMS), and chat
resources (AIM and MSN messenger like, or IRC)
•
Recommending links for nephrology resources.
http://www.cybernephrology.org/education/eduPhysicians.htm
•
Recommending searching resources on your web
site.
•
Promotion of the resources you create.
www.cybernephrology.org
But putting matters more simply…
Slide 8
The use of computers and the Internet should be
enjoyable, practical, and productive. Web, email,
chat resources should be easy to create.
If you need help we are there to provide assistance. You
can send us questions at the “contact us” link on
www.cybernephrology.org or at the following Email
addresses:
Janice McDonald jm5@ualberta.ca
Michele Hales
Michele.Hales@UAlberta.CA
Kim Solez, M.D.
Kim.Solez@UAlberta.CA
We can help you create Internet resources specific to
the local language and culture of your own region.
Slide 9
NKF cyberNephrology - A
remarkable NKF innovation!
 In 1996 an NKF think tank recommended the creation
of NKF cyberNephrology, initiated in April 1997.
 Remarkably insightful, no other voluntary heath
organization has had similar technology impact.
Earlier Internet initiatives in other health disciplines dermatology, anesthesiology, and nursing - were
individual or institutional efforts.
 Now as a consequence of this NKF initiative,
nephrology has caught up to and surpassed these
other disciplines, now has Internet resources superior
to those in any other area!
Slide 10
All the More Remarkable Considering
Nephrology’s size vs. all of Medicine
 There are more than 800,000 physicians in the US and
only about 5,000 are practicing renal medicine, so
nephrologists represents only about 0.6% of total US
physicians.
 On the other hand, the cost of end stage kidney disease
care is very high: 18 billion US dollars per annum in
public and private money (source USRDS). This is nearly
2% of the 1 trillion dollar total annual health care budget
of the US and rising rapidly.
Slide 11
Unique Resources for Patients Not Found
In other Specialties
 NEPHKIDS - For parents of children with renal disease,
moderated by pediatric nephrologist.
 KIDNEYDISEASE - For adult patients with kidney disease,
moderated by 10 nephrologists all over the world!
45 Email discussion groups in all connecting more than 5000 health
professionals , patients, and patient’s families.
Email Discussion Groups
Slide 12
Email - Best Communication for
Low Bandwidth Situations
Schrier Atlas of Diseases of the
Kidney
66 chapters covering all areas of kidney
medicine, completely searchable, with
outstanding graphics, preformed
Powerpoint files for each chapter are an
excellent resource for teaching!
http://www.kidneyatlas.org
Accessed by more people per month
than the total number of US
nephrologists!
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NKF New Technologies Division
 Directed by Gary Green.
 Beautiful new redesign of NKF kidney.org page!
 Chronic kidney disease K/DOQI guidelines now
available electronically through efforts of NKF
cyberNephrology
Slide 22
New Technologies Division
NKF (New York team) (800) 622-9010
Gary Green
Anthony Della Camera
Brian Robilotta
garyg@kidney.org
anthonyd@kidney.org
brianr@kidney.org
Gordon Brown
gordonb@kidney.org
Dawn Maruna
dawnm@kidney.org
Slide 23
Extending Internet knowledge from
nephrology to medicine in general!
Slide 24
 cyberMedicine - New Medicine http://www.cybermedicine.org
 Discipline upgrade from other areas which can learn
from nephrology - Critical Care Medicine
 cyberMedicine as part of the technology future search strategies - efficient information retrieval,
future of technology and the human spirit.
Slide 25
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Using Internet videoconferencing, other
informatics tools to enhance
communications.
Slide 28
Video conferencing/
The near future of medical
education and practice!
To be demonstrated at Singapore World
Congress of Nephrology. 2 ways:
1. Dedicated videoconf. equipment from
Internet2/Abilene “research” Internet with
guaranteed bandwidth. Access Grid, H323.
2. Desktop videoconferencing using iSight and
iChatAV on Macintosh G4 or G5 , ViGO
(VCON) , MSN, Yahoo messenger system on
PCs.
Slide 30
CA*net 4 Architecture: 22.5 Gbps!
CANARIE
GigaPOP
ORAN DWDM
Carrier DWDM
Edmonton
Saskatoon
St. John’s
Calgary Regina
Quebec
Winnipeg
Charlottetown
Thunder Bay
Victoria
Sudbury
Vancouver
CANARIE
Optical switches
Seattle
Montreal
Ottawa
Fredericton
Chicago
New York
CA*net 4 node
Possible future CA*net 4 node
Toronto
Windsor
Halifax
In 2003-2004 iSight and iChatAV
on Mac G4/G5 computers practical in most areas of world.
iSight/IChatAV Internet Video
Conferencing Demo - Chennai
Medical Student Cynthia Luk in Edmonton, Canada
discusses ISN Video Legacy Project - Living History
Project in Nephrology - one purpose of our travel to
Chandigarh - the interview of Prof. Kirpal Chugh.
Can send images in iChatAV by
just dragging image icon
to chat window.
Slide 35
ViGO Design
Camera
(removable)
“Designed by a
world-class
industrial
design firm”
Headset Hook
Speaker Tower
(removable)
Base Unit
Slide 36
ViGO Laptop-based Video
Conferencing
http://www.vcon.com/solutions/videoconferencing/desktop/index.shtml
http://www.vcon.com/solutions/videoconferencing/desktop/ViGO/index.shtml
Videoconferencing alternatives to
face to face meetings.
Do not assume limited utility.
Possible to make the
videoconferencing experience you
think you know easier and richer,
more satisfying.
By obtaining feedback on success
of face to face meetings and
videoconferencing can determine
ideal formula for proper mix of both.
Slide 37
Demo of Richness of Video Conferencing
Limited by 640x480 Data Projectors
Slide 38
Many high end graphics programs and
presentation interfaces will only work at
1024x768 or higher. Such high res. data
projectors do not cost much more, but
most suppliers are clueless with regards to
their advantages for presentation effect.
Virtual Pathology Slide

http://www.telepathology.dcu.ie/vps02.
php3 VPS Breast Needle Core Study
(JMIR 2003)
 http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/path
ology/uarep_histopathology/ Virtual
slidebox of histopathology
 http://alf3.urz.unibas.ch/patho/pub/2
002-11.htm Human Pathology -Volume 34, No. 10 (October 2003)
-- pages 968-974 Katharina Glatz-
Krieger , Dieter Glatz , Michael J.
Mihatsch Virtual Slide: high quality
demand, physical limitations and
affordability.
http://vmic.unibas.ch
Slide 39
Technology Evolution Need
Not be Complex!
Machines should serve human beings, making
our lives easier.
The latest technology in cell phones, the windup
charger.
Videoconferencing can also be simple like this.
Technology Evolution Need
Not be Complex!
Machines should serve human beings, making
our lives easier.
Virtual full size keyboards for cell phones and
PDAs which project on any surface.
Videoconferencing can also be simple like this.
Slide 42
The Serious Side of
Robotics in Medicine:
Irobot Packbot concept
Extraction Payload (EP)
The Most
Heavily Funded
Aspect of
Telemedicine
More Positive Views of Robotics!
Thinking of civilian medical uses of
robotics/artificial intelligence.
Slide 43
Tangible effects of recent Osaka
presentation! Host adopts Aibo!
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Wireless Connectivity - Not Just for
Landlubbers Anymore!
BALTIC SEA MAKING WAVES Now travelers in the Scandinavian region
(which has long been in the forefront of wireless technology)
can get wi-fi while crossing the Baltic Sea. Passengers on
Silja ferries running between Helsinki, Stockholm and Tallinn, Estonia,
log on for free while seated near the bar.
Slide 46
Wireless Connectivity - Many
applications within hospital practice
BOSTON DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
Physicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston use wireless
handhelds and laptops to submit prescriptions, r ead laboratory results and
view X rays and ultrasounds. Above, an emergency -room doctor checks a
PDA equipped with a plug-in wi-fi card .
Slide 47
Wireless Connectivity - An important
focus of national connectivity initiatives.
KRAKOW HIP TO BE SQUARE
For decades, visitors to Krakow's main city square have admired the historic
buildings, browsed the souvenir stands and sipped coffee at the many
outdoor cafés. This year, for the first time, they get to browse online for freethanks to a nationwide effort to bring wi-fi to Poland .
NKF cyber
Nephrology Visioning the
future!
Medicine of the Future
New Medicine Individualized Medicine
But putting matters more simply…
Slide 50
The use of computers and the Internet should be enjoyable,
practical, and productive. Web, email, chat resources should
be easy to create.
If you need help we are there to provide assistance. You can send
us questions at the “contact us” link on
www.cybernephrology.org or at the following Email addresses:
Janice McDonald jm5@ualberta.ca
Michele Hales
Michele.Hales@UAlberta.CA
Kim Solez, M.D.
Kim.Solez@UAlberta.CA
We can help you create Internet resources specific to local needs,
language and culture of your own region.