Woodwinds Orthopoedic Learning Center
Woodbury, MN

Challenge

Although operating rooms were never meant to be amphitheaters, the healthcare industry is experiencing an increasing demand to allow fellow surgeons and doctors, medical students and personnel, and patient families to observe real-time surgical procedures for informational and educational purposes.

While installing video cameras has always been a viable option, space is limited in the operating room and care must be taken so as not to infringe on the surgical team. With limited visibility, capturing various angles and close-up images has been next to impossible.

Solution

AVI Systems collaborated with Woodwinds Health Campus and leading video camera and equipment manufacturers to design, engineer and fabricate a highly sophisticated telemedicine system for Woodwinds' new Orthopoedic Learning Center (OLC).

In response to the needs of orthopedic surgeons who would be using the OLC, AVI Systems created a state-of-the-art system that features a moving trolley platform mounted on the ceiling in 2 operating rooms at Woodwinds' hospital in Woodbury.

This revolutionary new camera and tracking system enables surgeons to communicate via images and voice to the OLC's skills lab and 125-seat auditorium.

Result

As a result of the direct video and audio links, observers can view, listen and ask questions related to procedures as they happen. The equipment and installation design enables close-up viewing from a variety of angles during surgery. The unit is also wired for teleconference and satellite capabilities, which allows Woodwinds to offer remote learning opportunities.

"Our orthopoedic vendor partners have taken my shared vision with Dr. Dahl and created a world-class regional training center for clinic excellence, education and research," says Dan Hoeffel, MD, orthopoedic surgeon of the Woodwinds Orthopoedic Learning Center. "With state-of-the-art cameras mounted to the tracking frame, we can now provide the medical community with a needed teaching resource and leverage this leading-edge technology to deliver the best patient care available."

Beyond

Telemedicine is simply one example of how AVI Systems implements our full range of audio visual integration capabilities. From hotels and convention centers to colleges and universities, and from broadcast and production studios to corporate facilities around the world, virtually every industry benefits from using leading-edge technology.