Case Study: Major University Hospital Residency Program in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Lutech’s LT-300 Colposcopes Making a Difference for a Major University Hospital Residency Program in Obstetrics and Gynecology

THE CLIENT

A major New York metropolitan area academic medical center has been in operation for over four decades, and in that time has emerged as a preeminent health care institution and teaching facility in the region.

The healthcare system, with over 800 beds, provides advanced, compassionate care and serves more than one million patients annually.

As an academic medical center, it plays a significant role in leading research and pioneering medical, surgical and treatment techniques.

The facility operates four hospitals, five Health Sciences schools, a multi-specialty practice, and has a burgeoning relationship with other regional medical facilities, ostensibly for research collaboration, academic programs, and clinical care initiatives.

The healthcare system includes a strong physician network with more than 230 community-based healthcare settings in the region and is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in the county.

The healthcare system’s OBGYN residency is an academic training program within a university teaching hospital, offering an environment for residents to complete their training with the highest levels of personal and professional growth.

The OBGYN Department’s faculty is actively involved in ACOG (American College of Gynecology) and APGO (the Association of Professors in Gynecology & Obstetrics) including several APGO Surgical Education Scholars and an APGO Electrosurgery Scholar.

Dr. Kowalska trains and mentors 20 students each year, while overseeing the program’s Residency Colposcopy Clinic.

Every other Wednesday, the clinic performs eight to ten colposcopies serving Medicare, Medicaid, and self-pay patients, as well as colposcopy referrals from the institution’s network of OBGYN private practices.

THE CHALLENGE

Since its inception, the health care facility’s Residency Colposcopy Clinic has relied exclusively on binocular colposcopes. Residents would begin the exams, focus the eyepieces, and locate the medical abnormality.

Then, Dr. Kowalska would step in, correct the positioning of the eye pieces, adjust the focus, and provide feedback and guidance to the resident. This process was cumbersome and time-consuming.

“We weren’t able to save any images, so we couldn’t reference progression later on.” This was a significant issue because referencing the progress of cervical diseases “elevates the level of care we’re able to provide, and serves as a great teaching tool for residents,” Dr. Kowalska continued.

Relying on outdated binocular colposcopes limited the clinic’s ability to perform precise exams and was time-consuming and unnecessarily invasive for patients.

Examiners were unable to upload imagery for later retrieval and physician consultation. Additionally, the process was arduous and imprecise. Lutech changed all that.

THE LUTECH SOLUTION

Examiners, both nationwide and around the world, turn to Lutech for groundbreaking colposcopy technology that has set the standard in the medical diagnostic and forensic arenas.

Easy to learn, set up, operate, and store, Lutech’s LT-300 digital video colposcopes elevate the cervical exam to new heights.

The health care center’s Colposcopy Clinic needed to significantly upgrade its technology with a solution that provided precise, high-quality imagery, shorter exam times, and the ability to capture images digitally and upload them to their Epic EHR database.

As an educational program training future gynecologists, the program also required a solution that allows Dr. Kowalska to see what the resident is seeing and offer real-time guidance — without having to refocus or reposition the colposcope.

“With Lutech colposcopes, the procedure is done in one step, with the image displayed on-screen in the exam room,” Dr. Kowalska shares.

Now Dr. Kowalska can speak to the resident and patient directly to point out and explain areas of concern. She adds, “I’m able to observe the residents focusing on biopsy techniques and offer assistance on the spot.”

The Lutech LT-300 colposcopes have made a world of difference. “We see the same patients year after year; so, having the ability to pull up images is key in understanding and explaining the progression and regression of the disease,” Dr. Kowalska says.

“It’s also a great teaching opportunity when we pull the images up after the exam to discuss what we’ve seen. Using terms like ‘low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions’ in front of patients can increase anxiety. Having detailed, technical discussions in private provides residents with additional training without causing extra stress to patients.”

THE RESULTS

Training lies at the core of the program. With so much at stake, having to rely on outdated equipment seems unthinkable. This is where Lutech’s colposcopes have become a game-changer for the clinic and have played a pivotal role in providing residents with the latest medical diagnostic technologies.

“With Lutech, it’s easier to train residents,” Dr. Kowalska explains. “It’s easier to show them how to use the colposcope with the remote mechanism, rather than with cumbersome knobs and having to move the machine.”

The mobility and maneuverability of the Lutech LT-300 colposcopes has also made a significant difference. “The devices are easy to move from room to room, providing flexibility with scheduling and allowing for multiple procedures in one day,” Dr. Kowalska adds.

Integrating state-of-the-art Lutech colposcopes has added value for the program’s physicians in training. “Residents respond well to the upgraded technology,” Dr. Kowalska shares. “It allows the program to offer state-of-the-art equipment; that’s attractive to residents, it elevates the program and the level of care provided.”

Older colposcopes “are outdated and difficult to move and use. The newer technology speaks to this generation of residents and provides them with an opportunity to train on the latest technology that they’ll go on to purchase and integrate into their own practices.”

The OBGYN residency program represents a dynamic opportunity for residents to hone their skills and acumen, while providing patients with access to dedicated professionals using the latest technologies to diagnose illnesses.

The program has seen enormous success, thanks to its mission of excellence in teaching and training, as well as providing OBGYN professionals with the high-tech equipment they need to fulfill their roles efficiently.

Lutech is pleased to do its part in providing exemplary diagnostic devices that make a profound difference in the lives of today’s and tomorrow’s physicians, and in the lives of the patients they treat.

Contact Lutech today or call 631-676-7432 to learn more about the LT-300 series colposcopes.

LT-300 Colposcopes Making a Difference for a Major University Hospital Residency Program in Obstetrics and Gynecology

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