Page 26 - SF HOSPITAL NEWS NOVEMBER 2020

ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY

Novel Radiation Technology
The Correct Approach at Miami Cancer Institute

to Telehealth Improves Quality of Life

What is telemedicine? Have you had a telehealth visit with An advanced form of radiation therapy available at Miami
your doctor? I recently had a telehealth video call with my Cancer Institute may extend overall survival and improve
physician. I spent 20 minutes telling him how well I was, quality of life for patients with inoperable pancreas cancer.
and that everything felt ok. Guess what? After 20 minutes, The ViewRayTM MRIdian MR-Linac technology safely
he said great, I said thank you, and he billed Medicare for the delivers an unprecedented high dose of radiation over just
visit. I am not a doctor and I am not qualified to examine five consecutive days directly to the tumor using continuous
myself, yet that is what the doctor seemed to rely on. real-time MRI scans. The images ensure millimeter accuracy
If this is what medicine is coming to then we are all in and also allow for treatment to be adapted daily to account
trouble. Most individuals are not trained to provide an for changes in the patient’s internal anatomy. Known as MR-
accurate triage report to their doctor. Telehealth visits guided stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR), this
should not be done on an iPhone, iPad or laptop, which state-of-the-art treatment is painless, completely non-inva-
are not FDA or HIPAA approved. Any one of these devices sive and requires no anesthesia or needles. Miami Cancer
can be hacked and your personal information jeopardized. BY LOU BIASI Institute was the second cancer center in the U.S. to begin Dr. Michael Chuong
Yet, because of COVID and a loosening of restrictions this treating patients with this technology in April 2018.
is the way many medical professionals are currently con- Investigators from Miami Cancer Institute recently pub-
ducting telehealth visits. lished the first clinical outcomes of chemotherapy followed by MR-guided SABR on an
The American Medical Association (AMA) and the Palm Beach County Medical MR-Linac for inoperable pancreas cancer in Practical Radiation Oncology using nearly
Society are asking Congress to support telehealth. We at American Telemedicine also twice the radiation dose that is safely deliverable on a standard radiation delivery
are in favor of telehealth visits with one exception. We believe all telehealth visits machine. The study included 35 patients ranging in age from 34 to 89 years and reported
should be made with accurate information, via FDA and HIPAA approved devices. that one year after SABR nearly 90% of patients had their cancer controlled locally and
The Link+ by Live Care and distributed through American Telemedicine is such a almost 60% of patients were alive, both of which are favorable compared to historical
device. The Link+ can provide your doctor with an up-to-the-minute report of your outcomes with lower radiation dose. Some patients who initially had inoperable pancreas
vitals, such as blood pressure, SP02 (oxygen level), and heart rate. In addition, the cancer ultimately were able to undergo successful surgery because of excellent response
Link+ also can connect with a scale, thermometer, ECG monitor and a glucometer to after SABR.
check your blood sugar level. Your doctor has an up-to-the-minute report that he can “A significant number of our patients have surpassed the expected survival for this
view to decide if you need to come in to see him or prescribe different medication. deadly disease, with many alive several years after their initial diagnosis,” said Michael
Now compare the differences with iPhone, laptop or computer telehealth visits, Chuong, M.D., director of MRI-Guided Radiation Therapy at Miami Cancer Institute and
where you and the doctor are limited to a friendly conversation. With the Link+, the a radiation oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal cancers. In fact, Dr. Chuong is
physician knows up-to-the-minute reports of your vitals. Now which telehealth visit encouraged that patient survival beyond two years after initial diagnosis may be more
would you prefer? Of course, the answer is the Link+. than doubled through the use of ablative radiation dose versus lower radiation dose. He
In today’s environment every household should have the Link+. It is a complete anticipates publishing long-term survival outcomes in the near future. Dr. Chuong notes
wellness system with daily monitoring and a 24/7 call center with the push of a but- that not only has the efficacy of MR-guided SABR been excellent for pancreas cancer, but
ton. I previously had a “fall and I can’t get up” system. As a senior male living alone, it also has been very well tolerated, with only about 3% of patients experiencing serious
I wanted something that I could rely on in case of an emergency. My system went off side effects and the majority experiencing little to no side effects. “It is remarkable that
accidentally when I was not home and EMTs were dispatched. The result – a broken we have seen such little treatment toxicity given the incredibly high radiation dose that
door and a large repair bill for me. is delivered to tumors in the pancreas that are surrounded by and sometimes literally
Guess what? I am now a Link+ client and have never felt more secure about my touching the stomach and intestines,” he said. “Patients are in and out within about an
health and well-being. My doctor can monitor my vital signs daily if he wishes. I also hour. They go back to work or play golf, and do their normal activities.”
know my vitals daily and if I think I have an emergency, I just press the red button to
connect with the 24/7 call center and receive immediate help. Leaving the house, I
can carry the Link+ with me, which also has a GPS and fall detection. In addition, my St. Mary’s Medical Center &
family member can check my vitals and call me on the Link+.
Let me leave you with this thought. You would not get into a boat with a life pre-
server. The Link+ is your 24/7 life preserver. It is a must have for every household. Palm Beach Children’s Hospital

Lou Biasi is the CEO of American Telemedicine. For further information, Are the First Hospitals in South
call (561) 278-2222 or visit our website at www.bestamericantelemedicine.com.
Florida to Use New Virtual

Reality Surgical Program
Delray Medical Center Becomes
St. Mary’s Medical Center & Palm Beach Children’s
First Hospital in South Florida Hospital hosted the first Immertec Medoptic technology vir-
tual event for in service surgical training featuring Dr. John
to Use the New Surpass Evolve Asghar, orthopedic spine surgeon on staff at the Paley
Orthopedic and Spine Institute. It is the only fully immersive
Flow Diverter for Aneurysms 3-D, virtual technology surgical training platform, allowing
surgeons to virtually scrub into a live procedure in a safe and
socially distant way from their home or office through a VR
Delray Medical Center is the first hospital in South Florida to use the Surpass headset. With this technology, surgical instructors are able
Evolve Flow Diverter for aneurysm patients. This device is the first 64-wire to provide more accessible training opportunities for practic-
cobalt chromium flow diverter designed to re-direct blood flow and promote ing surgeons interested in gaining exposure to innovative
aneurysm healing. Dr. Dennys Reyes is the first surgeon to use this technology. techniques, procedures or devices. Trainees can follow the
“Surpass Evolve is a cutting-edge technology that is advancing the frontiers of surgeon’s instructors for upcoming learning opportunities. Dr. John Asghar
patient care in aneurysm treatment, “said Dr. Dennys Reyes, neurointervention- This device allows surgeons to gain exposure to advanced
alist on staff at Delray Medical Center. “Treating at risk intracranial aneurysms surgical techniques for consideration in their current prac-
before they rupture is a focus of our stroke program that can help save lives and tice. This exposure has the potential to minimize unnecessary suffering in their patient
provide some of the best care in the community.” population from increased access to the highest standard of care.
“It has been very rewarding to see technology like this help our patients get Medoptic has three features: the core 3D teleconferencing technology, the mobile
neurological care close to home,” said Maggie Gill, chief executive officer of the scheduling app and VR headsets loaned to trainees prior to the event. The platform
Palm Beach Health Network and Delray Medical Center. “We continue to see streams live 3D, 4K video with audio conferencing for collaboration and communication
outcomes in patients that could have been avoided if they had come to the hos- in real-time. The technology captures multiple video feeds including a stereoscopic 3D
pital sooner and not delayed care. We have the proper protocols in place to deliv- video, encodes the feeds, and remotely transmits the videos to a VR headset in under 200
er care safely.” milliseconds so remote surgeons can observe, communicate and interact as if they were
physically present.

26 November 2020 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News