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Background: Moving images are often essential in medical education, to learn new procedures and advanced skills, but, in the past, high-quality movie transmission was technically much more challenging than transmitting still pictures because of technological limitations and cost., Materials and Methods: We established a new system, taking advantage of two advanced technologies, the digital video transport system (DVTS) and the research and education network (REN), which enabled satisfactory telemedicine on a routine basis., Results: Between 2003 and 2013, we organized 360 programs connecting 221 hospitals or facilities in 34 countries in Asia and beyond. The two main areas were endoscopy and surgery, with 113 (31%) and 106 (29%) events, respectively. Teleconferences made up 76% of the total events, with the remaining 24% being live demonstrations. Multiple connections were more popular (63%) than one-to-one connections (37%). With continuous technological development, new high-definition H.323 and Vidyo(®) (Hackensack, NJ) systems were used in 47% and 39% of events in 2011 and 2012, respectively. The evaluation by questionnaires was favorable on image and sound quality as well as programs., Conclusions: Remote medical education with moving images was well accepted in Asia with changing needs and developing technologies.

Although the use of video in telemedicine is most helpful, the transmission of high-quality moving images is difficult in conventional systems due to the limitation of network bandwidth and the quality of service. We have established a new system via the academic broadband network that can preserve the original quality and assure smooth movement of the image. Here we report on 100 case studies and discuss the lessons we have learned. Kyushu University Hospital in Fukuoka, Japan, was linked to 53 medical institutions and meeting venues in 13 countries and regions over the Asia-Pacific Advanced Network, an international research and education consortium. The digital video transport system (DVTS), free software that transforms digital video signals directly into Internet Protocol, was installed on a personal computer (PC) with a network bandwidth of 30 Mbps per channel. Between February 2003 and June 2007, 100 telecommunication sessions were held, 94 of which were international and 6 domestic. Furthermore, 47 involved real-time demonstrations and 53 interactive teleconferences using video or PC presentations. Multiple stations were connected in 37 events, and the number of connected stations in total reached 269. The time delay was restricted to 0.3-1.0 seconds between the stations. Participants provided feedback via questionnaires, and with respect to image quality, 509 (68.3%) participants reported "very good," 206 (27.7%) reported "good," 19 (2.6%) reported "poor," and 11 (1.5%) reported "very poor." DVTS is both economical, with a minimal initial investment, and simple to set up, and this is the first time that this advanced system has been used so widely in the Asia-Pacific region. Because the high-speed academic network for research and education is available worldwide, we believe our cutting-edge technology will facilitate medical standardization beyond geographic borders in the world.

Background: Amid rapid changes in surgical techniques and patient care, education and training for the new generation of health care providers is of utmost importance. An international telesurgical system, which we established between Japan and Korea through super-fast broadband Internet without any loss of quality, was shown to be a powerful tool for this purpose. We attempted to expand our advanced system throughout the Asia-Pacific region and studied its usefulness., Methods: Kyushu University Hospital (Fukuoka, Japan) was linked to 33 medical institutions and meeting venues in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Australia by academic optic fiber network. Digital video signals were directly converted into Internet protocol, and cipher security programs were used to protect patient privacy., Results: Of 49 international surgical teleconferences conducted, 16 were real-time demonstrations of surgery, and 33 involved recorded videos. For 37 events, two stations were connected pier-to-pier, and for the remaining 12, multiple stations were connected. The network remained stable, and the time delay between stations was restricted to 0.3-1.0 seconds. Responding to questionnaires, 70.6% of participants rated the image quality as "very good," and 22.5% rated it "good.", Conclusions: We succeeded in establishing a high-quality telesurgical system in a wide area of the Asia-Pacific region, and this is the first time high-speed Internet technology has been applied to surgery on such a large scale. Because it is not only of high quality but also economical and easy to set up, we believe this system will promote efficient remote surgical education and active academic exchange worldwide.

Objectives: To promote the exchange of knowledge and standardization of medical procedures and medical systems in the Asia-Pacific region, we established a medical network with high-quality moving images over broadband Internet lines in February 2003., Methods: Real-time teleconferences and live demonstrations with medical-quality videos, broadcast via the Digital Video Transport System, have been used to teach surgical techniques and other medical procedures across national borders. The Asia-Pacific Advanced Network (APAN) committee in August 2005 formally approved our proposal to establish a medical working group within APAN. The network was expanded by the launch of the Trans-Eurasia Information Network 2 in 2006. By the end of 2006, we had conducted 82 events, in 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The multi-station event has increased every year., Results: There have been no serious transmission problems or ethical conflicts so far. With these experiences and current achievements, we hope to extend this advanced network system to the entire Asia-Pacific., Conclusion: This system is a promising and very useful tool for the standardization of medical system and procedures across national borders. Drawing upon these experiences and current achievements, we hope to extend this advanced network system to the entire Asia-Pacific region.