Pilot Project To Connect Nebraska Physicians To Telecommunications Network

American Educational Telecommunications (AET) has been awarded a grant from Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals for the creation of videoconferencing sites at medical centers in Nebraska.

The grant will allow physicians in at least six cities in the state to be connected to a network that will provide real-time education and training in the medical specialty of obstetrics and gynecology, said Dr. Keith Vrbicky, AET chief executive officer and chairman.

The pilot project, called I*NET P&G Connections, is expected to be implemented in the first quarter of 2002, Vrbicky said.

The grant will fund the purchase and installation of personal computer-based videoconferencing equipment and will pay for physicians’ monthly service fees to I*NET, AET’s global telecommunications network that provides access to medical education and training material.

Procter & Gamble will use I*NET to deliver pharmaceutical product information and specialized educational sessions to physicians.

“The I*NET P&G Connections pilot project will quickly show how this technology can empower physicians and provide an avenue for better delivery of information to them,” Vrbicky said.

Dr. Dominique Ehtgen, Senior Regional Medical Director at Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals stated, “We are looking at this effort as a pilot study. If we are pleased with the outcome we may decide to extend the education program beyond Nebraska.”

The final selection of sites for I*NET P&G Connections have not yet been determined, but locations that will be considered are medical facilities in Scottsbluff, Grand Island, Kearney, Norfolk, Omaha and Lincoln, Vrbicky said. More cities and physicians could be added later.

AET is a world-wide innovator in broadcast medicine, distance learning and healthcare administration. It was established in 1999 and has its headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. Other offices are located in Omaha, Nebraska; Norfolk, Nebraska; and Cairo, Egypt.

AET’s I*NET global telecommunications network unites real-time intercontinental video and audio links, E-1 Internet connectivity and communications satellite transmission technologies. It delivers healthcare and education to remote locations of the world, including Egypt and other nations in the Middle East.

AET also provides patient consultations and referral services to leading U.S. medical providers. It is a privately-held company.