TeleMicrobiology

Description

This project is being developed and implemented by a unique partnership between the AMC, Kiestra Lab Automation and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City.

Infectious diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Vietnam. Diagnostics of bacterial infections are up to standard in the Laboratory of Medical Microbiology of the Hospital of Tropical Diseases (HTD) in Ho Chi Minh City. This does not hold true for the smaller laboratories in more peripheral areas in Vietnam, where the level of diagnostic capacity and bacteriological knowledge are low. HTD and its network of remote laboratories expressed a clear need for the development of tools to provide knowledge transfer and training in microbiology in order to enhance diagnostic capacity.

This project aims to develop and provide a continuous education and training tool to improve the quality of diagnostics in hospital laboratories in Vietnam. Knowledge will be transferred using bacteriological e-learning modules and local training by Dutch and Vietnamese facilitators. In addition, to assure that this newly obtained knowledge leads to better bacteriological diagnostics, interactive support is provided by microbiologists of HTD and the AMC on a regular basis using a dedicated e-camera. We call this concept TeleMicrobiology.