Presentation Type:
Cardio-OP: An Internet-based and Database-driven Multimedia Information System for Physicians, Medical Lecturers, Students and Patients in the Field of Cardiac Surgery
Reinhard Friedl, MD Dept. of Cardiac Surgery, Univ. of Ulm, Germany
Abstract:
Objectives: Cardiac Surgery is an emerging field in medicine dealing with the operative treatment of congenital and acquired diseases of the heart and its great vessels. The complexity of the subject requires continuous training, education and information for different groups in heart surgery: p physicians (cardiac surgeons, residents, anaesthesiologists, cardiologists), medical students, perfusionists and patients. There is evidence in the literature that efficacy and efficiency of education and training in different fields of medicine may be improved by the use of multimedia information systems. In contrast, computer-based education is facing some serious disadvantages: 1) multimedia productions, particularly media-recording and -processing, require tremendous financial and time recources; 2) the obtained multimedia data are only usable for one specific target user group in one specific instructional context; 3) compter based learning programs often show deficiencies in the support of individual learning styles and in providing individual information adjusted to the learner`s needs. A computer-system, providing multiple re-use of data in different instructional settings and providing flexible composition of contents to different target user groups has not been described so far and is the subject of our research.
Methods: The Cardio-OP project requires a repository supporting the following functions: presentation-neutral storage of multimedia content from the application domain, delivery and presentation.of multimedia material to different locations (e.g camus, hospital, home), content based retrieval, re-use and composition of multimedia material for different instructional settings. Therefore the ZYX document model has been developed, allowing the modelling and flexible on-the-fly composition of multimedia-fragments. The ZYX model has been implemented as a DataBlade module into the object-relational database system Informix Dynamic Server/ Universal Data Option. Principles of cognitive psychology and knowledge management are employed in the program. This includes the development of a very detailed classification- and indexing system of information items in cardiac surgery. High-quality intra-operative video is recorded using a video-robot. Difficult surgical procedures are visualized with 3D-animations.
Results: An on-line architecture for multiple re-use and flexible composition of media-data has been realized. The system will contain the following instructional applications: a multimedia textbook on operative techniques, an interactive module for training of decision making, a module to create and present lectures and a module for patient information. These are based on different instructional levels providing factual knowledge (beginner), procedural knowledge (advanced) and implicite knowledge (professional) which may be selected by the different user-groups. The multimedia content will be presented on the basis of a multimedia repository containing indexed and presentation-neutral media-data. Therefore the demonstrated architecture reflects an integrated approach in terms of information technology and teaching by means of re-use and multiple composition of stored media-items to the individual user and the chosen educational setting on different levels. The prototype will focus on aortocoronary bypass grafting and heart transplantation.
Conclusion
It is important for an effective learning process that individuals, informing themselves on a specific topic in cardiac surgery, are supported in their individual learning-styles on individual knowledge-levels. The demonstrated system may promote these needs in an efficient and economic manner by its flexible composition, re-use and presentation of multmedia-data. In contrast to standard-textbooks and patient-information-material, with new releases every 4 to 8 years, the multimedia-repository may provide continuous on-line availability of actual knowldedge and new developments to worldwide locations.
Supported by the German Ministery of Research and Education (BMFT).
Benefit in Attending Session:
A computer-system, providing on-line and multiple re-use of data in different instructional settings and flexible composition of database contents to different target user groups, has not been described so far and is the subject of our research.
Dr. Reinhard Friedl Universitat Ulm, Abt. Herzchirurgie Steinhˆvelstr. 9 89070 Ulm ++49-731-7321 Fax Number: ++49-731-6698 reinhard.friedl@medizin.uni-ulm.de Name Co-Author(s): Prof. Wolfgang Klas Wolfgang Klas Abt. Datenbanken und Informationssysteme Universit‰t Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 89069 Ulm, Germany ++49-731-502-4135 Christian Greiner Forschungsinstitut f¸r anwendungsorientierte Wissensverarbeitung (FAW) Postfach 2060 89010 Ulm, Germany ++49-731-501-520 Klaus-J¸rgen Quast ENTEC-Gesellschaft f¸r interaktive 3D-Visualisierungen, St. Augustin Technopark der GMD Rathausallee 10 53754 Sankt Augustin, Germany ++49-2241-92487-1 Albers, Jˆrg Universitat Heidelberg, Abt. Herzchirurgie Im Neuenheimer Feld110 69120 Heidelberg Germany ++49-6221-56-6272 Andreas Hannekum Universitat Ulm Abt. Herzchirurgie Steinhˆvelstr. 9 89070 Ulm Germany ++49-731-502-7321 Fax Number(s): Wolfgang Klas ++49-731-502-4134 Christian Greiner ++49-731-501-999 Klaus-J¸rgen Quast ++49-2241-92487-7 Albers, Jˆrg ++49-6221-56-5585 Andreas Hannekum ++49-731-502-6698 klas@informatik.uni-ulm.de christian.greiner@faw.uni-ulm. quast@www.technopark.gmd.de joerg.Albers@urz.uni-heidelberg.de andreas.hannekum@medizin.uni-ulm.de