Surgical bus showcased at Fieldays

The future of medical services has arrived but it won’t stay put for long.

The Mobile Surgical Services (MSS) team have assembled their surgical bus, satellite and diagnostic vans to show Fieldays visitors what they have to offer.

Rural health development manager Steve Smith said the benefits of their services were vast and it was very convenient for their rural customers.

“You can have your surgery done on your doorstep.”

The MSS bus travels throughout New Zealand on a five week cycle offering elective day surgery in rural communities.

MSS last visited Fieldays seven years ago and they have continued to grow since then.

The bus carries over a $1 million worth of video communication technology and has the benefits of involving community general practitioners and offering them professional development.

Mr Smith said many rural GPs are isolated and it is important to make sure that they are kept up to date with new medical advances.

“In the medical industry everything changes and evolves, there are always new techniques and medicine, and we can get this information to the local GPs.”

As well as distance learning, the technology allows medical experts from around the world to be available via videoconferencing to help during operations.

The team based in Christchurch has had to face their own challenges this year following the effects of the earthquake but are back on the road.

“We were up north when the earthquake struck but we started heading back down south to offer more help.”

Operating since 2002, over 13,000 rural people have been treated in 21 different rural communities.