Charlotte heart specialists work 'virtually' with Belize counterparts

Heart specialists from Carolinas HealthCare System have been to Belize many times to assist with surgeries and other medical care.

But on Tuesday, they didn't even have to leave Charlotte to help their colleagues in Central America.

From a conference room at Carolinas Medical Center, Dr. Francis Robicsek, vice president of Carolinas HealthCare's International Medical Outreach Program, launched a "virtual communication portal" with the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City.

The portal will enable cardiologists in Belize to consult with cardiologists from Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute in real-time on complex cardiac cases. 

At a demonstration Tuesday, Robicsek, Dr. Paul G. Colavita, Sanger president, and Dr. Geoffrey Rose, Sanger vice president, spoke with cardiologists in Belize through the portal.

It was the second portal of its kind launched by Carolinas HealthCare System in Central America. The first 

was launched in February 2012 with the Guatemalan Institute of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery.

Since 2011, cardiology and surgical teams from Sanger have traveled to Belize every month to assist with cardiac catheterizations, open heart surgeries and stents. To date, more than 100 catheterizations and nearly 15 open heart surgeries have been performed on Belizean patients.

Dr. Paul Colavita, left, and Dr. Francis Robicsek demonstrated the virtual portal with Belize City physicians Tuesday at Carolinas Medical Center.

 Dr. Geoffrey Rose addresses health care providers and administrators at Carolinas Medical Center in person as medical personnel and administrators from Belize (visible on the screen) listen and interact through the "virtual portal."