Researchers and administrators at USC’s School of Medicine and on the Columbia campus soon will be videoconferencing from their desks with colleagues at MUSC and in the upstate as part of a just-completed video communications corridor.
The multi-million dollar project, funded by the Fullerton Foundation, Duke Endowment, and with matching institutional resources, will place miniature video cameras with microphones atop users’ computers, allowing real-time communication from desktop to desktop.
“Researchers and clinicians around the state are going to be working a lot more closely together because face-to-face communication will be as easy as using a telephone,” said Stan Fowler, associate dean for research and special projects at USC’s medical school who has spearheaded the project since its inception. “This is high-definition TV quality with phenomenal capability.”
Most of the hard wiring for the system already is in place with connections to Greenville-area hospitals, the School of Medicine, the Columbia campus, and to MUSC in Charleston. Clemson University is soon expected to complete its hook-up to the corridor. Remaining work will involve installation of individual cameras and hands-on training for users.
“The video corridor initiative is one of the most promising uses of the power of communications technology in the state of South Carolina,” said Bill Hogue, USC’s chief information officer. “It will allow deeper and richer relationships to develop among students, faculty, researchers, and practitioners from different institutions who are united in the pursuit of improved health prevention and care for citizens throughout the state.”
Fowler believes the technology will catch on fast with the statewide university community.
“I think this will be like fax machines. When they first came out, only a few people had them, but everyone quickly realized the advantage of having that ability to transmit information,” Fowler said. “Imagine meeting with colleagues a hundred miles away without leaving your desk, or discussing research with someone downtown without having to hunt for a parking space.”
Fullerton Foundation funds enabled the universities to purchase common equipment and link to the Internet2, which has improved bandwidth for videoconferencing capability. Duke Endowment funds will purchase equipment necessary for individual users.
Fowler envisions the system being used for medical training, research collaboration, and for medical diagnostics across the state. Physicians at USC’s three rural primary health care centers could consult visually with colleagues in Columbia or at MUSC for patient diagnoses. The system also could be used for shared medical lectures between the two medical schools.
“The possibilities are nearly unlimited,” Fowler said, “and the system is very easy to use.”
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