Revolutionizing Endometriosis Training with the new Endometriosis Plus.

Healthcare providers now have a new ally in the fight against endometriosis with the introduction of the new ScanTrainer Endometriosis Plus package. A sister product to the full ScanTrainer system, this innovative package from Intelligent Ultrasound offers a cost-effective, portable solution to train novice and expert clinicians in transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) and endometriosis diagnosis at scale, using advanced simulation coupled with eLearning.

Endometriosis is a prevalent yet often under-diagnosed condition affecting approximately 1 in 10 women of reproductive age in the UK and the USA. On average, it takes around 8 years from the onset of symptoms to receive a diagnosis 1, with lack of awareness and limited access to endometriosis specialists cited as 2 major factors in diagnosis delay 2 3 4. Such delays not only affect the quality of life for those suffering but also contribute significantly to healthcare costs and economic burdens, estimated at £8.2 billion annually in the UK 5.

An Alternative to the Full ScanTrainer System

The Endometriosis Plus package offers targeted training in TVS and endometriosis, providing a cost-effective, efficient solution for clinics and residency programs to increase skills in gynecological ultrasound at scale. The package is designed to enhance the diagnostic skills of healthcare professionals through thorough training on the ScanTrainer TVS Simulator paired with companion eLearning. The advanced simulator provides haptic feedback for a realistic scanning experience, coupled with a wide range of patient cases to practice on without causing discomfort to actual patients. The accompanying eLearning course has been designed with leading experts in endometriosis to provide targeted learning in complement to the TVS simulation.

Key Features of ScanTrainer Endometriosis Plus:

Comprehensive Training Modules:

The comprehensive training content guides users from novice to expert, covering basic probe manipulation, core gynecological skills and conditions, an extensive case library, and a specific endometriosis module detailing disease manifestations in the bowel, bladder, and ovaries.

Cost-Effective and Portable:

As a slimmed-down version of the full ScanTrainer, the Endometriosis Plus package offers a more affordable solution without compromising on quality. Its portability makes it ideal for training in various settings, including smaller clinics and educational institutions.

eLearning Support:

The e-learning package included with ScanTrainer Endometriosis Plus provides comprehensive background information on endometriosis and its presentations. This blend of theoretical and practical learning supports continuous education, ensuring that practitioners stay updated with the latest diagnostic techniques.

Why Transvaginal Ultrasound?

Transvaginal Ultrasound (TVS) is recommended by a recently published International Consensus Statement 6 and NICE guidelines 7, as a first-line imaging tool for diagnosing endometriosis. TVS is not only cost-effective but also provides diagnostic performance comparable to MRI for detecting deep infiltrating endometriosis 8. However, developing the skills to identify endometriosis using TVS can be challenging due to regional variations in training and the complex presentations of the disease.

Meeting the Challenge

ScanTrainer Endometriosis Plus addresses these challenges by offering a realistic and comprehensive training solution, that is both cost-sensitive and portable. The product equips healthcare professionals with the necessary skills to accurately recognize endometriosis and other common gynecological conditions, leading to improved patient outcomes and timely treatment.

Product manager Talia Stokes commented “Developing skills in identifying endometriosis can be quite challenging given the regional variations in training and educational funding limitations. Our goal with this package is to offer a high-quality training solution that is accessible, affordable, and comprehensive enough to identify not only endometriosis but also other gynae conditions with similar symptoms. By making TVS simulation training more widely available, we aim to empower more institutions to improve patient diagnoses effectively.”

Find out more about ScanTrainer Endometriosis Plus below:

A cost-effective, portable solution for endometriosis training in TVS, combining advanced simulation with eLearning.

Find out more

References

  1. All-Party Parliamentary Group on Endometriosis (APPG). (2020). Endometriosis in the UK: Time for Change – Inquiry Report 2020. Accessed July 2024: link ↩︎
  2. Endometriosis UK. (n.d.). What is Endometriosis? Accessed July 2024: link ↩︎
  3. Endometriosis Foundation of America. (n.d.). Endometriosis Facts and Figures. Accessed July 2024: link ↩︎
  4. The Guardian. (2020). Endometriosis: The Long Wait for Diagnosis. Accessed July 2024: link ↩︎
  5. Simoens, S., Dunselman, G., Dirksen, C., et al. (2012). The Burden of Endometriosis: Costs and Quality of Life of Women with Endometriosis and Treated in Referral Centres. Human Reproduction, 27(5), 1292-1299. ↩︎
  6. G Condous, B Gerges, I Thomassin-Naggara, C Becker, C Tomassetti, H Krentel, B J van Herendael, M Malzoni, M S Abrao, E Saridogan, J Keckstein, G Hudelist, Intersociety Consensus Group §, Non-invasive imaging techniques for diagnosis of pelvic deep endometriosis and endometriosis classification systems: an International Consensus Statement, Human Reproduction Open, Volume 2024, Issue 3, 2024, hoae029, ↩︎
  7. National Institute for Health and care Excellence. Endometriosis: diagnosis and management. Accessed July 2024. link ↩︎
  8. S Guerriero et al, Transvaginal ultrasound vs magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosing deep infiltrating endometriosis: systematic review and meta-analysis. Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. May 2018 ↩︎