Radiological videoconferencing in Sweden

For the last four years there has been a videoconferencing link between the Karlskrona hospital and the university hospital of Lund. Because of a need to transmit angiographic films, its use has been gradually expanded to become an everyday routine, used for both elective and emergency examinations. During 1994 and 1995, 1121 cases were examined over the video link. Apart from 156 normal cases all were discussed with surgeons, most at 96 weekly conferences but approximately 50 at conferences taking place as soon as possible after the examination. Assuming that an average of three doctors attended the conferences before the video link was available, this amounts to a saving of 3 x 8 h in travelling time per videoconference. The average salary was 300 SKr/h and train tickets cost a further 400 SKr per person. The cost of the ISDN connection was approximately 1800 SKr/conference. The net gain was thus about 6500 SKr per videoconference, without taking into account the work that could be done with the doctors still in Karlskrona after the conference.