Cologne teaching hospital uses Geutebruck video platforms to accelerate learning

The training centre at the University Hospital of Cologne has a sophisticated new audio video system which helps medical students practise consultations and procedures of different types and learn from detailed analysis of their own performance. Supplied and installed by inSynergie, a German specialist in multimedia control solutions, the AV package combines inSynergie's own software with Geutebruck re_porter and GeViScope video platforms.

The training centre's practice facilities comprise an operating theatre, two trauma rooms, two emergency treatment rooms and six patient consulting rooms. Training exercises involve patients or actors as well as students and are recorded by teaching staff from four central editing desks. The editing suite and the seminar rooms have special touch-screen user interfaces developed by inSynergie. Cameras in the practice rooms are controlled from the editing suite. They are selected individually or in groups and live or recorded video can be streamed to any of the seminar or lecture rooms where it can be displayed on monitors in split screen mode or via projectors.

Markers save time

A key feature of the system is that teaching staff insert markers into the recording during the exercises. This enables particular footage to be found and shown again quickly for analysis and feedback. The markers can also be tagged for research and teaching purposes and stored in the system's database.

Here video technology mitigates against crowded courses and teacher shortages. It saves time by making the learning process more effective by enabling the analysis of body language, which may be important to diagnosis, and providing an ideal tool for self-critical review and discussion.

The controlling editors can select individual cameras; insert title and screen text; display live preview pictures; start/stop video and audio; insert bookmarks for easy retrieval as well as deliver audio announcements. Recorded and live images can be streamed simultaneously to students in several locations. Replay functions offer local access to approved recordings with the facility to jump from marker to marker.

Straightforward adaptation 

Recorded and live surveillance images can be streamed simultaneously to students in several locations

InSynergie chose Geutebruck video platforms because they offer the specific range of functions required and can integrate with other devices and software. With the help of Geutebruck's free SDKs and free development assistance, it was straightforward for InSynergie to increase the standard single video channel with audio to a group of four with audio, so that video could be produced simultaneously in the necessary forms: four video streams with lip synch audio for viewing in a 2x2 matrix format; one as an H.264 file and a further copy in a lap-top-friendly format.

Positive effects

Dr Boldt, the university hospital's director of SkillsLab and Simulation is very proud of the new facilities. "No competitor was able to offer the quality and the desired flexibility for developing the overall system," he reports.

"Feedback is now seen as having a very positive effect on learning, especially when the student can review his own actions," explains Dr Boldt who cites both international academic research and his own student evaluation forms which bear this out. After a seven-week course in the new facilities one student commented: "Super course, the best in the whole study programme ...The video monitoring and evaluation could be expanded because it is so helpful being able to see yourself in conversation with patients."