The Pacific Island Health Care Project: easing the cancer burden in the United States associated Pacific Islands.
Cancer is a serious and ever increasing problem in the United States Associated Pacific Islands (USAPIs). Nearly 30% of all consultations and referrals are for cancer. Depending on the type of cancer, the prognosis for long-term survival is often poor and the cost of caring for such patients is considerable. Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) provides tertiary medical care to patients from the USAPIs in support of Graduate Medical Education (GME) at no cost to the patient or jurisdiction. Continuing its tradition of leading telemedicine initiatives in the Pacific, TAMC has developed a web-based electronic consultation and referral network, the Pacific Island Health Care Project (PIHCP). Ten sites in Micronesia and one in American Samoa were provided with computer equipment. Local clinicians request consultation from TAMC specialists through the internet, attaching supporting imagery. The consults are posted on a secure web page, where they are viewed, evaluated, forwarded, and commented on by the consultants. Experience with more than 2,100 cases indicates that the Internet can be easily used as a store-and-forward consultation format and offers a cost effective means for distance consultation, referral, and learning. This format has provided for a more rational evaluation of all patients but especially patients with cancer. Patients who are terminally ill, have widely metastasized disease, and/or have inoperable tumors or recurrences are excluded so that limited resources can be used for those most likely to benefit. There has been overwhelming enthusiasm for such Internet consultations between referring physicians and consultants. Many Pacific Islander patients have received state-of-the-art medical care through this program. At the same time, the training of TAMC physicians and residents has been enhanced by their opportunity to care for these remarkable and deserving patients from the Pacific.
Person
Donald A
DA
Medical Corps, US Army, Honolulu, HI 96859-5000, USA. donald.person@haw.tamc.amedd.army.mil
D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006772:Hospitals, Military / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010139:Pacific Islands; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012041:Regional Medical Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States