The unique software which is expected to be available for doctors in 12 months' time will be a collection of ear and hearing diagnoses and associated symptoms collated from reports published by medical experts in international scientific and medical articles, reports and journals.
The software will use statistics from a database of medical reports to present a list of potential symptoms for a general practitioner, as they are selected, with the program suggesting the most likely diagnosis and is expected to benefit doctors based in regional locations.
One of Australia's leading ear surgeons and Director of the Lions Ear and Hearing Institute (LEHI), Professor Marcus Atlas, congratulated the Institute's Senior Scientist, Dr Rob Eikelboom, for heading the research lead to the signing of a memorandum of understanding to develop the program with technology start-up, Paradigm Diagnostics.
"We are pleased to have signed a commercial agreement with Paradigm Diagnostics and we hope to finalise a licensing agreement shortly to advance this exciting technology," Professor Atlas said. "The new decision support system ties in with our telemedicine program which is close to reaching commercialisation. (Ear telemedicine is a relatively new technology that enables patients with ear disease and hearing impairments to access ear specialists).
"We are not suggesting that doctors will be eventually replaced by computers as a result of this breakthrough in patient diagnosis," he said.
"What we are saying is that the software will enable a general practitioner to more easily diagnose an ear and hearing condition particularly if they are unsure of a patient's symptom, or have difficulty contacting a skilled ear specialist.
"We look forward to finalising the software b
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Contact: John Williams
61-892-281-999
Research Australia
25-Jan-2006