NHS Healthcare Innovations Day - Review

The NHS Healthcare Innovations Day (see original post “NHS Healthcare Innovations Day” Tuesday 10 February 2009) proved to be an interesting experience on a number of levels. While the content of the presentations were both interesting and thought provoking, the pioneering aspect of this meeting was that it could be attended online through Second Life.

The Second Life event drew a respectable audience with over 35 delegates attending the meeting online, set in a bespoke open-air auditorium. Within the Second Life auditorium, meeting delegates could view video screens showing live video feed from the real-life venue as well as other supporting materials they needed to follow the meeting.

There were a few issues with the audio feed during the first session, but the Second Life audience still remained strong, with over 20 delegates present by the time the meeting broke for lunch.

Given that approximately 80 people attended this meeting in person, it is of significance that the online event attracted an additional 25% more delegates, with attendees from the UK, USA and Sweden amongst others.

The Second Life audience wasn’t passive either; like the real-life setting, the Second Life auditorium was equipped for audience voting with some 10 snap polls taken with both audiences able to vote interactively. Delegates attending the meeting through Second Life could also contribute questions for panel discussion.

All this was achieved with relatively low cost, low carbon footprint and a global reach that wouldn't have otherwise been possible.

Much of this could have been achieved with one of a number of web-based conferencing solutions, but there was one significant aspect that was truly unique to the virtual world experience and was the personal highlight of my day: a guided tour of the NHS Second Life training hospital.

Based on a faithful replica of a London hospital, the Second Life training hospital has been constructed to teach familiarity in terms of the layout, equipment and processes the hospital follows. For example, a trainee must follow the correct sequence of operations and be wearing the correct clothing in order to enter an operating theatre. Failure to do so triggers an alarm and instructional training on the correct procedures, right down to video segments showing how to safely open and handle sterile packaging.

Therefore the Second Life training hospital is able to accurately simulate hospital procedures and provide contextual training on how they should be followed, without compromising real-life patient care. However this doesn't just stop at the operating room, but extends to a simulated ward with accompanying equipment and patients. The virtual hospital is even being used to help nurses gain familiarity with a new type of bedside infusion device ahead of its implementation in everyday practice.

What the NHS Healthcare Innovations Day has shown us is that the NHS is already delivering innovative solutions, and has made a success of integrating real life and the virtual world for effective communications, collaboration and training.

Alan