Inter-Balkan Medical Center of Thessaloniki, a pioneer in telemedicine with the RCS System
Thessaloniki, 17.3.2021.- The first intervention in Greece with the advanced telemedicine system “RCS System” was carried out at the Interbalkan Medical Center of Thessaloniki, implementing the strategy of the Athens Medical Group to be “always one step ahead” in innovative medical developments.
The most advanced RCS telemedicine system is the first to allow collaboration between doctors during a surgical procedure in real time and with absolute visibility of all manipulations and data, while one of the two participants is located in another part of the world.
The system is already operating in Copenhagen, Tel Aviv and the American continent. As it is an advanced tool for “sharing Excellence” between doctors during an operation, it is soon expected to dominate major medical centers internationally.
The first operation with remote clinical collaboration was successfully performed by the team of Interventional Cardiologist Apostolos Tzikas, for a complicated ventricular septal defect (VSD) closure in a patient with complex congenital heart disease. The patient was placed through catheters with the Amplatzer ADO I Occluder device. The remotely participating Physician was the Professor of Interventional Cardiology of congenital heart diseases, Reda Ibrahim from the Montreal Heart Institute in Canada, who has extensive experience in this particular procedure.
As emphasized by Mr. Apostolos Tzikas, MD, PhD, FESC, thanks to the use of the RCS System, the highly specialized Professor had at his disposal high-definition image and sound from within the operating room, with almost zero time delay, so that he could provide valuable advice in real time, contributing to the “sharing of Excellence” in the exceptional success of the procedure.
It should be noted that the system features special technology to protect sensitive personal and medical data and cyber-security.
The RCS System was used at the Interbalkan Medical Center for the operation, after a successful trial operation was previously carried out during which Dr. Tzikas, as an Interventional Cardiologist trainer specializing in structural and congenital heart diseases, had offered corresponding remote advice to his colleagues during an operation, thousands of kilometers away.
“Telemedicine as implemented with the RCS System for the secure connection between hospitals and doctors, is the future of Medicine, as it allows for the optimal provision of medical services to patients, bypassing the difficulties of travel and physical presence in the context of the current pandemic and in general,” emphasizes Dr. Tzikas and adds: “The use of advanced telemedicine tools opens a valuable and secure channel of communication and collaboration between expert doctors and constitutes a tool for the benefit of the patient, but also of medical education.”
