Focused Ultrasound experts

The 3^rd International Exablate Neuro Users’ Meeting went virtual as the current pandemic continues to place restrictions on conferences and other face-to-face meetings.

Rees Cosgrove, MD, was the Course Director, and Moderators included Andres Lozano, MD, Michael Kaplitt, MD, W. Jeffrey Elias, MD, and Vibhor Krishna, MD. The virtual hall was filled with about 100 Exablate Neuro users from around the world.

Believe it or not – there were no technical glitches, and everything ran smoothly. A quick poll of the attendees showed that 74% thought that the Users’ Meeting was productive and informative. The agenda content was engaging, but what fascinated me was that everyone was completely comfortable and savvy with this new mode of communication.

A survey from the American Medical Association found that physicians see digital health as a driver for quality outcomes, cost efficiency and patient access. However, from electronic health records to monitoring wearables to the burst of telehealth in response to COVID-19, physicians have had a long and sometimes bumpy road integrating technology into their workflows.

In this case, it was very apparent that everyone has gained a new skill set – presenting in a virtual environment. For two hours, focused ultrasound experts shared experiences, discussed important takeaways and even polled the attendees. The presenters not only stayed within their allotted time, transitions to individuals from various locations around the world were seamless. It seems that platforms like Zoom provide a digital stage that works for a virtual meeting.

To find out more about the Exablate Neuro platform, please click here.