Fujifilm SonoSite and the non-profit group Floating Doctors are collaborating on a new six-part video series that shows the impact of diagnostic ultrasound on remote corners of the globe. The first episode of “Bridging the Gap” is available for streaming on the SonoSite website.

Floating Doctors uses open boats to bring physicians to distant coastal communities that lack access to medical imaging. According to the World Health Organization, about 60% of the world’s population has no access to diagnostic imaging.

In the first three-and-a-half-minute episode, “Getting the Edge on Diagnosis,” Floating Doctors founder Ben LaBrot, MD, performs an ultrasound exam on an elderly woman’s gallbladder to assess the need for surgery. Subsequent episodes will depict the effect of ultrasound on a young boy with a heart defect and Panamanian midwives learning to avoid problematic births.

“Point-of-care ultrasound has also found its way into remote corners of the world where funds, facilities, and space are limited,” said Ellen Clements, global health and education manager at Fujifilm SonoSite. “Fujifilm SonoSite is proud to be working with Floating Doctors as they bring vital healthcare to remote communities and we are excited to be able to capture the stories of those impacted by the care Dr. LaBrot and others are providing.'”

”Fujifilm SonoSite’s ultrasound equipment is uniquely suited for austere environments. Early diagnosis makes all the difference, often between life and death,” LaBrot said. “The video series shows what difference physicians can make, and the reassurance that comes from a diagnosis on the spot with hand-carried ultrasound.”

Readers can register to be notified of the next episode release on the video series website.

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