Ignez Tristao. IDB Health Specialist.
- “I see some ramifications on the left side”, observes a doctor when looking at the screen the ultrasound sonography that is being performed on a pregnant woman.
- “Yes. I believe that they are micro calcifications”, states another doctor upon looking at the sonography.
- “Precisely. She has multiple calcifications. It could be a complication”, adds a third physician, who analyzes the fetus’ movements through the monitor.
The sonography images warn that something is becoming complicated in the woman’s pregnancy. Up to twelve obstetricians and general practitioners analyze and discuss the images in real time. However, none of them is in the same room. Not even in the same hospital. Just one of the physicians is by the woman, monitoring her through the use of ultrasound diagnosis. As he obtains the images from the test, he shares them through his smart phone with the rest of his colleagues. They are a a group of physicians connected through a Whatsapp group managed by the Ministry of Health of Belize, with the support of the Salud Mesoamerica Initiative. The doctors have been trained to diagnose ultrasound images through this innovative technology.
During the last months of 2016, the group trained for this new image diagnosis methodology and received the support of specialized gynecologists in Honduras. Now, the time has come to start diagnosing and interpreting images in real cases.
Doctor Natalia Beer, Maternal and Child Health technical advisor at the Ministry of Health of Belize, displays her optimism for the practical implications this project may contribute. “This tool will facilitate access to specialists for women that live in rural and un-favored areas, where there are complications to gain access to gynecologists”, concludes doctor Beer.
Doctor Stephanie Rivero, medical officer at the San Ignacio Community Hospital in Belize, recognizes that this new technique supposes “great progress” for her daily work. “Ultrasound pregnancy images diagnosis through Whatsapp groups will allow us to improve the quality and speed of diagnosis of complications during pregnancy. It is a very useful tool for occasions when the doctor is alone and has doubts about the status of a patient. This technological innovation will allow this doctor to count with support, collectively and in real time, through the collective interpretation of the images. It is really quick”, points out doctor Rivero.
This physician ascertains that this new technology will be “very effective” to quickly diagnose complications such as placenta previa, fetal distress, even injuries caused by traumas. “I am convinced that this system will help save lives. For example, an early and correct diagnosis of a placenta previa may save a mother’s life. And this system will allow us to do that”, concludes the physician.
During the past five years, the Ministry of Health of Belize, with the support of the Salud Mesoamerica Initiative, has put in place important measures focused on improving the quality of health services offered to women and children. Results during this period have shown that the country has made important progress in this matter. One of the most outstanding points is that adequate management of obstetric complications has increased by more than 70 percentage points in the past five years.