Sonosite iViz – Disrupting the Medical Education Paradigm

True disruption comes when technology changes the paradigm of medicine and new adopters emerge. A number of studies suggest use of ultrasound will change the diagnosis or management in up to 20-50% of cases. What has limited us in the past in medicine is the cost and size of new equipment; and who has access to it.

Prof. Alistair Royse believes in the power of disruptive education.

The Sonosite iViz is playing a crucial role in his programs.
At the Royal Melbourne Hospital Cardiothoracic Surgeon Prof. Alistair Royse was one of the earliest adopters of the SonoSite iViz in Australia and uses the machine on a daily basis not only in his clinical practice, but also in his innovative clinical ultrasound education programs at the University of Melbourne.

“True disruption comes when technology changes the paradigm of medicine and new adopters emerge. A number of studies suggest use of ultrasound will change the diagnosis or management in up to 20-50% of cases. What has limited us in the past in medicine is the cost and size of new equipment; and who has access to it. These machines are smaller, better and everyone may access them – therefore they are disruptive. This means new groups of people who have never used ultrasound before are learning how to use it such as junior hospital doctors, physicians, GPs, medical students and nurses.”

“We provide training in a manner when you can study in your own time such as distance and online learning. The use of small, point of care ultrasound machines like the SonoSite iViz is a technological advancement in training similar to that in online learning. It makes a big difference to the way we are able to teach the application of ultrasound in practice, and the students are used to portable technology being a bit part of their lives.”

“The design of the iViz is very end user focused and friendly. It is a truly mobile device and the functionality is impressive. One of its biggest selling points is the image quality. The students are blown away by the image quality and the ability to be able to use the machine with one hand.”
– Prof. Alistair Royse