Teleconsulting and "tele-education": "Multimedia" 1998-2002 group experience at CREAS IFC-CNR

During the last five years a "Multimedia" group was set in the Institute of Clinical Physiology of the National Research Council, applying a background of programming, graphics, multimedial editing, and electronics abilities: it has been dedicated to endorsing the preparation and the set-up of Educational Courses in Cardiology, Cardiosurgery, and other medical Specialties in the Institute, as well in the set-up of multimedial events in the researc area, "teleworkshops" on pathophysiological and clinical topics, with the intervention of speakers and auditory spread by the net, on-line teletransmission of static or dynamic signal and/or imaging diagnostic procedures. Approaching the difficulties in coupling medical information sources with videoconference devices, the problem of imaging quality has offered the possibility to render these examinations easily suitable to generalists and specialists, or even to other Hospitals, facilitating the decision-making process, cutting the time-to-clinical decision.