The ISN Commission on Nephrology Informatics has existed since May 1997 and is a
partnership with the NKF cyberNephrology initiative which began July 1, 1997, see:
http://www.kidney.org/cybrneph.shtml
In this partnership the NKF provides most of the funding and very valuable expertise from
the computer industry (the Advisory Board of NKF cyberNephrology) while the ISN provides
the remaining funding, high level physician expertise represented by Commission members,
and access to international contacts and facilities.
While most of the initiatives are joint some are specific to the ISN. One is the
"Renal-Tech Project: Computers and Internet Connections for Renal Units in Developing
Countries." A WWW site has recently been created to help solicit computer equipment
donation for this project:
http://www.renal-tech.org
We have previously donated computer equipment to Nigeria. There was a recent very
successful donation trip to Nepal, see:
http://www.renalworld.com/DialysisNepal
Dr. Solez's participation in the September 28th CBS 60 Minutes program on the mass
poisoning/renal failure epidemic in Haiti with diethylene glycol and our placing of
QuickTime movies of the interview on a WWW page are also ISN-specific activities, see:
http://129.128.109.95/primetime/60_min.html
We have established the ability to create WWW pages "on the fly" using a digital
camera and on-site laptop computer to put pictures of meetings on the Internet within
moments after they are taken. This capability, which allows true virtual meeting
attendance, was first demonstrated at the Sept. 7-10 Joint Congress of the African
Association of Nephrology, the South African Renal Society and the Renal Care Society of
South Africa in Durban, South Africa, see:
http://129.128.109.95/African_congress.htm
Other international nephrology and tranplantation meetings have also been the subject of
WWW pages created by NKF cyberNephrology:
Bolivia Meeting
http://129.128.109.95/Bolivia_meeting.htm
ASN Meeting
http://129.128.109.95/asn_meeting.htm
USCAP Boston Meeting March 2, 1998
http://129.128.109.95/rps/US_CAP_Meeting_overview.htm
http://129.128.109.95/rps/March_2_1998/March_2_98.htm
ASTP Chicago Meeting May 10-13, 1998
http://129.128.109.95/images/ASTP001.htm
XVII World Transplantation Congress, Montreal, Quebec, July 12-17, 1998
http://129.128.109.95/isn/000i0159.htm
We have also created a site for pictures from the ISN Video Legacy Project interview of
Robert Kark:
http://129.128.109.95/isn/images/RobertKark.htm
Most other activities of the Informatics Commission are joint with the NKF and are well
reflected in the NKF cyberNephrology WWW page:
http://www.kidney.org/cybrneph.shtml
Seven new nephrology Internet discussion groups have been formed since August 1997:
NEPHJNL - nephrology/transplantation journal club.
NEPJHIST - history of renal medicine, ISN Video Legacy Project interview transcripts.
NEPHCNPT - discussions of individual clinical nephrology cases.
NEPHNPPT - discussions of individual renal biopsy cases.
NEPHMIN - a stripped down version of NEPHROL-DIGEST with all repetition and North
America-specific content removed, designed for subscribers in developing countries.
NEPHDEVEL - Humanitarian nephrology project in developing countries
NEPHKIDS - Discussion group for parents of children with renal disease
These augment the original NEPHROL groups which still continues as a vibrant and useful
resource. Approximately 1,500 subscribers participate in the six groups.
In a cooperative ventrue with the ASTP and ASTS the transplantation discussions from
NEPHROL are reproduced on the CenterSpan WWW site and also appear on the discussion group
CENTERSPAN-L, see:
http://www.centerspan.org/
Many other technical advances and activities to benefit nephrology worldwide will be
possible through the input of the NKF cyberNephrology Advisory Board which meets annually.
The next meeting of the Board will be in the new cyberNephrology complex in Edmonton in
early 1999 and will also coincide with a meeting on the ISN Informatics Commission.
Respectfully submitted. - Kim Solez, M.D., Chair, ISN Commission on Nephrology Informatics
Last Modified: September 01, 1998 08:33:20 AM