P8. The Development of a Smart Phone Application for Global Plastic Surgery Education and Mobile Electronic Medical Records

Abstract

Background: Access to safe and timely surgical care is marked by inequities across the globe. This is particularly true in the specialized field of plastic and reconstructive surgery. Barriers to care include lack of human resource and limited surgical education. Covid-19 has alienated remote medical systems even further by reducing international missions. The Ohana One phone application is an innovative technology developed by plastic surgeons which aims to circumvent these barriers, all via a user-friendly smartphone interface Methods: Ohana One International Surgical Aid is a California-based global surgery non-profit organization. The Ohana One smartphone application (app) was designed and developed by the organization’s surgeon leaders, who recognized an opportunity to improve international collaboration and plastic surgery education. The free, HIPAA-compliant app provides a central location for surgeons to share challenging patient cases, network with international physicians and upload user-created surgical videos. Integration with VUZIX smart glasses also allows mentee surgeons to share surgeries and patient evaluations while receiving audiovisual feedback from remote mentor surgeons in real-time. Mentors can assess mentees using a surgical benchmark system developed for the app. Additional features include dictation and case logs for physicians without access to an electronic medical record Results: Beta-testing demonstrated a seamless design compatible with smartphone operating systems. The app has been disseminated across Ohana One’s global network comprised of 88 surgeons representing over 40 countries and now five additional surgical sub-specialties. Collaborations with other organizations like ReSurge International have expanded our reach in global plastic surgery. The app will be a valuable adjunct to international missions when they resume. Frequent needs assessments will be essential for maintaining success Conclusion: The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery recognizes the importance of novel technologies in the creation of sustainable global interventions. The Ohana One phone app exemplifies this concept by providing an accessible interface for surgeons to gain real-time training and professional support pre-operatively, intra-operatively, and post-operatively. It is also a remote electronic medical record. Providing surgeons with these tools all via their smartphones optimizes physician training in plastic surgery and, in turn, improves patient access to complex reconstruction around the world.