Join Drs. Andrew Blaikie, Nikki Hall and Daniel Grace for an insightful webinar on the Arclight project and the Virtual Doctors NGO, on a groundbreaking initiative addressing remote and rural eye and ear health through innovative telemedicine solutions. Learn how the Arclight; a portable, low-cost device; is revolutionising diagnostics in resource-limited settings. The presentation will showcase the two initiatives discussing their impact on health, and explore the potential of telemedicine in bridging healthcare gaps. Whether you're a healthcare professional, student, or simply passionate about global health, this webinar offers valuable insights into the future of remote medical care.

Aims

This webinar aims to introduce participants to both the Arclight Project and Virtual Doctors NGO exploring applications in remote and rural eye and ear health, and their roles in advancing telemedicine. It will demonstrate the Arclight’s functionality, discuss its impact on global health, and explore the broader implications for healthcare delivery in resource-limited settings.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this webinar, the participant should be able to:

1. Describe the key features and functions of the Arclight device
2. Explain how Virtual Doctors address challenges in remote and rural eye and ear health
3. Discuss the potential of telemedicine in improving healthcare access in resource-limited settings
4. Understand the role of telemedicine and the Arclight through case based presentations
5. Recognise the impact of low-cost, portable diagnostic tools on global health initiatives.

Panellists

Our panellists include:

Andrew Blaikie

Consultant Ophthalmologist, NHS Fife and University of St Andrews, Honorary Asscoiate Professor, International Centre for Eye Health, LSHTM.

Dr Andrew Blaikie is an Ophthalmologist working in NHS Fife as well as the clinical and teaching lead for the Arclight Project a social enterprise based at the Univertsity of St Andrews. The project develops and implements affordable, solar-powered diagnostic tools designed for use in low-resource settings. This work is transforming eye care training and diagnosis for eye and ear diease in resource poor countries. His research focuses on frugal medical technologies and their implementation in global health initiatives influencing policy development.

Nikki Hall

Consultant Ophthalmologist, NHS Fife

Dr Nikki Hall is a Consultant Ophthalmologist whose interests are paediatric ophthalmology, strabismus and genetic eye disease. The latter was the subject of doctoral research at the University of Edinburgh. She was the first Ophthalmologist to join the Virtual Doctors team, in 2018, volunteering to provide ophthalmic telemedicine advice to Clinical Officers in Zambia. She has also taught in the UK using the Arclight device which has the potential to hugely enhance the ocular diagnostic capabilities of rural healthcare workers.

Daniel Grace (chair)

Dr Grace is a portfolio GP based in South Wales with a special interest in expedition medicine, medical education, travel medicine and pre-hospital emergency medicine. He is also proud to be the medical director for the UK’s leading telemedicine charity, the Virtual Doctors, which connects remote healthcare workers in Zambia and Malawi with volunteer clinicians to improve patient access and empower rural communities.

CPD

1 Hour