Web-based medicine as a means to establish centers of surgical excellence in the developing world

The growth of the Internet has provided a unique opportunity for rapid, glo bal communication. Web-based medicine uses this technology to help surgeons in developing regions of the world gain direct access to recognized expert s. This serves to empower local surgeons in the developing world through di rect skill-transfer and encouraging academic pursuit. Web-based medicine fo llows the paradigm of a university without borders, therefore requiring exa cting patient record keeping, monthly peer review, and continuing medical e ducation of all its participants. All those who participate in Web-based me dicine have undergone a credentialing process to guarantee that they posses s adequate credentials. Patient confidentiality is strictly maintained. Web -based medicine also provides a follow-up strategy for medical volunteer gr oups who provide overseas services. Interplast, Inc., has administered a We b-based medicine site at http://www. wiredmd.com since July of 1999. A tota l of 767 cleft malformation cases performed locally by participating host s urgeons in the developing world have been reviewed through the site. Additi onally, 16 consultations have been posted and discussed by participating su rgeons worldwide. Financing remains the major impediment to the globalizati on of this technology.