Martini Hospital in Groningen has recently introduced innovative smart glasses to support the training of AIOS (medical specialists in training). Thanks to these glasses, worn by a surgeon, trainees can now observe operations live. This new technology improves the quality of medical education and makes training more efficient, accessible, and future-oriented. The glasses are currently used within the Orthopedics department, but the hospital plans to expand their use to other specialties as well.
From the OR to the Training Room
Where previously an orthopedic AIOS could only be physically present in the operating room, a group of trainees can now watch live from a separate training room within the hospital. The footage is shared via a secure connection, ensuring patient safety and maintaining calm in the OR.
Encouraging Active Learning
Orthopedic Surgeon Remco Meijer highlights the benefits of the smart glasses:
“With the glasses, I can reach a large group at once, rather than just the one assistant standing next to me. Plus, the glasses show exactly what I’m seeing, while an assistant next to you always has a slightly different viewing angle.”
Bart Lambert, an orthopedic AIOS, is also enthusiastic about this new training method:
“When you’re performing or assisting with surgery yourself, you’re focused on the task and don’t always have the chance to ask questions. In a room with fellow trainees and a trainer, it sparks lively discussions and provides lots of background information.”
A World of Possibilities
The smart glasses, developed by Rods&Cones, are a are equipped with an HD camera, microphone, and livestream capabilities, allowing for a variety of uses. Recently, colleagues from Isala Hospital in Zwolle even tuned in to observe orthopedic procedures at Martini Hospital. The hospital also plans to use the glasses to record footage for future training or evaluation sessions. In the future, nursing procedures may also be demonstrated using the glasses.
Learning and Innovating Together
As a top clinical teaching hospital, Martini Hospital continually invests in forward-thinking and innovative educational tools. In collaboration with regional partners, the hospital constantly seeks new ways to learn together and align training with the healthcare of the future. Continued development and adoption of innovations like smart glasses are essential to this mission.
The original article was written in dutch and has been translated into English
Source: here.
