MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Three years ago, Jim Joye, DO, director of the catheterization laboratories at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, Calif., in the heart of Silicon Valley, spearheaded the creation of a breakthrough medical symposium. His vision: leverage cutting-edge technology to augment and accelerate physicians’ learning experience. Next week marks the third Vascular Interventional Advances or VIVA, a Las Vegas-based conference that continues to grow in reputation, attendance and technological sophistication, revolutionizing medical education.
“This conference was pioneered on the premise that physicians don’t learn from being lectured to; they learn from doing,” stated Dr. Joye. “Evaluation and management of certain disease areas, such as peripheral arterial disease, is evolving at a rapid pace. In order to effectively help physicians acquire up-to-the-minute clinical skills, we must modulate medical education to reflect a more dynamic and interactive format.” El Camino Hospital is a nationally recognized center of excellence for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Dr. Joye and his colleagues also conduct year-round training for sites across the country to advance implementation of the latest diagnostic and therapeutic tools for PVD.
VIVA brings together physicians from the four peripheral vascular care specialties: vascular surgery, interventional cardiology, vascular medicine and interventional radiology, as well as fellows, residents, nurses and technologists who treat PVD, which encompasses a spectrum of diseases involving blocked arteries in the extremities that affect approximately 10 million Americans.
Education at VIVA is delivered through a combination of didactic lectures, observation of live cases in a symposium format and direct interaction with recognized experts. One of the hallmarks of VIVA is Laptop Learning(TM), a groundbreaking educational system that lets participants employ a variety of media into an innovative and customizable learning program.
Fitting of a conference with Silicon Valley roots, it would be easy to mistake VIVA for a technology conference at first glance. Each participant has a laptop at his or her seat that is linked via local server to a main computer that not only streams live cases, but also has several other live screens for the attendee to choose from including the names of particular devices being used, alternatives, company names and product information; and general slides on epidemiology, natural history, diagnostic methods and treatment alternatives.
In addition, through the intranet-linked computers, participants have the ability to direct questions to the faculty and those conducting live-case demonstrations. In turn, faculty provide real-time answers to attendees’ questions and make them accessible to all audience members. Surveys also are conducted in real time and the results instantly displayed, offering insight into current practice trends and other important pieces of information.
The hard drive of each computer contains slide presentations, articles, abstracts, reference lists and product lists. Attendees have the option to purchase the actual computer at a discounted rate or download the actual files they want to take home onto a CD.
“Laptop Learning creates a novel education environment that engages participants at their personal current skill and knowledge level and allows participants to target their own learning needs,” stated Dr. Joye. “After experiencing a VIVA conference, it’s difficult for participants to return to the more traditional medical education environment. As demand grows, this type of learning environment undoubtedly is the wave of the future.”
Simulation-based training is another keystone of VIVA’s cutting-edge education experience. In the Simulation Pavilion, participants gain real-time feedback as they practice skills needed or various peripheral vascular care interventions. Using realistic patient scenarios, attendees select equipment, review angiographic images (examine blood vessels using x-rays following the injection of a radiopaque substance), perform interventions and encounter real-world complications. Experienced faculty are on-hand to offer insight and maximize the simulation experience.
“Quality education has an immense impact and influence on practice patterns and favorably enhances the ability of physicians to perform complicated procedures,” stated Frederick St. Goar, MD, an interventional cardiologist at El Camino Hospital who is a member of the Simulation Faculty at VIVA. “More than providing a unique education environment, ultimately, we are promoting better patient care.”
About El Camino Hospital
El Camino Hospital features state-of-the-art cardiovascular services and a team of dedicated doctors and nurses who provide high quality care in areas ranging from prevention and diagnosis to advanced endovascular procedures and cardiac surgeries. El Camino Hospital’s heart specialists are leaders in the development of minimally invasive techniques, and provide international cardio and vascular expertise in California’s high-tech Silicon Valley.
Consistently ranked as a leading hospital in the area, El Camino Hospital recently received the highest ranking in the California Hospital Experience Survey. The hospital has received national recognition for several pioneering programs in the areas of cardiac treatment, radiation oncology and maternity. For more than 43 years, El Camino Hospital has been distinguished by its high caliber staff and affiliated physicians, comprehensive and innovative services and a long history of responding to the needs of the community it serves.
For more information about VIVA or to arrange interviews with Dr. James Joye, other VIVA faculty and/or VIVA participants, please contact Jennifer Pendergrass, WeissComm Partners, at 415-946-1070 or Liz Falcone, WeissComm Partners, at 415-946-1075.
El Camino Hospital
CONTACT: Jennifer Pendergrass of WeissComm Partners, +1-415-946-1070, forEl Camino Hospital
