Southwestern Bell Gift Establishes Telehealth Center at M. D. Anderson

A $2 million grant from Southwestern Bell will allow the future of cancer care to be accessible through an electronic "front door" at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Currently under construction, a new Southwestern Bell Telehealth Center will be home to facilities supporting "telemedicine" and distance learning activities for physicians, nurses, health professionals, students, patients and the general public in the community and around the world.

"Telehealth presents a unique opportunity to effectively interact with health professionals, researchers and patients not only in Texas, but also throughout the world," according to Dr. Mitchell Morris, M. D. Anderson's vice president and chief information officer.

"As we accelerate our efforts to help turn the tide against cancer, we are preparing to employ new communications and information technology," Dr. Morris says. "The Southwestern Bell Telehealth Center will be the communications hub for this activity."

Housed within M. D. Anderson's new Faculty Office Center under construction across the street from the cancer center, the Telehealth Center is expected to open in the Fall of 2000. The new high-tech facility is made possible through the support of the gift from the SBC Foundation, Southwestern Bell's parent company's philanthropic arm. Providing telecommunications and information technology to equip the new center, the gift is the foundation's largest given in Houston.

"Southwestern Bell has a long-time commitment to the Houston community and this partnership is a perfect fit - bringing together two strong local institutions dedicated to education and technology," Joe Walkoviak, Southwestern Bell president, says.

"This grant further demonstrates our commitment to bringing state-of-the-art technology to benefit the community," Gloria Delgado, president of the SBC Foundation, says. "We are proud to be associated with M. D. Anderson, and it is our hope that the Southwestern Bell Telehealth Center will be instrumental in cancer education and research initiatives."

The SBC Foundation addresses community needs in the areas of education, community economic development, health and human services, arts and culture. Since 1996, the SBC Foundation has given more than $12 million in technology-related grants.

The Telehealth Center facilities will include:

• several videoconference facilities to support the interaction of multi-disciplinary teams of surgeons, oncologists, radiation oncologists interacting with their counterparts at remote locations;
• a distance education classroom with interactive television teaching facilities for graduate courses and other teaching activities;
• a special events room that may serve as a small television studio for educational events, conferences and Internet events; and
• a technology testing and demonstration room to facilitate incorporating future new technologies in the center.

According to Dr. Morris, M. D. Anderson faculty will have access to dedicated videoconferencing rooms as well as videoconferencing capability on their desktop computers.

"The telehealth center provides dedicated facilities for utilizing technology to fulfill M. D. Anderson's mission to eliminate cancer," he says. "We can influence patient care beyond the walls of this cancer center by using technology to interact with colleagues at our affiliates in Orlando, Fla.; and Madrid, Spain; as well as physicians and trainees in other settings who wish to discuss individual patient needs and progress."

- DANNI SABOTA, AMBER WHITE

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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