[Galaxy] 2 Dec 2161 :: Part 2 Medical Consortium, San Francisco :: CMO's :: Dr Bose (Yorktown), Dr Corbett (Meridian), Dr Garroway (Intrepid), Dr Rowe (Challenger)

[Kate Nicholson]

> ~~~~
>  
> // Medical Consortium, CMO Discussion Continued, Page 2 //
> 
> ::Snip> Admiral DeForest called the gathering to task, ³I¹d like to hear
> what you people see as being essential and how those additions of tech and
> information can be used aboard our deep space vessels and outposts. So,
> everyone grab a hot cup and let¹s get down to business.² ::End Snip>
> 
> DeForest himself picked up the coffee carafe and offered refills. People
> found their seats around the table to the low murmur of conversation. Once
> seated, he continued. ³Weapons are important when we need protection, but
> health concerns go on with or without aggression and war. This is a safe
> place. You don¹t have to lobby for anything. I¹m already on your side here.
> I was a practicing physician at one point, though a long time out of
> practice now. I purposely didn¹t give you too much time to prepare. I wanna
> hear everything you need and want, your concerns and opinions. Just put it
> on the table here for discussion and we¹ll see what we have to work with.
> Let me just open the floor to anyone who¹d like to comment.²
> 
> Liza spoke first "One of the biggest things that I found is we need to have
> the power to Sickbay on a separate grid and if that's not possible to have
> an immediate back up available.  A redundant circuit so to speak.  There
> were a couple times, I found myself and my team working with hand torches."
> She said "Perhaps a small power core in the store room, there should be
> enough room to put one there."  She suggested.
> 
> ³I agree,² said Emily. ³Intrepid¹s engineer found a way to set up just such
> a separate grid and buried it in the sub-floor. So there is room for a more
> dedicated system, even without taking up storage space.²
> 
> ³That was already on the plan for the refit. You¹ll have your dedicated
> grid, Doctors,² replied DeForest.
> 
> Emily looked around to be sure she was not about to override someone else¹s
> comment. ³I think my biggest ongoing challenge has been in terms of
> effective diagnostics. When you are the only physician out there, there¹s no
> one to get a second opinion from. Everything from broken fingers to head
> lice happens on a daily basis. I know there are some amazing improvements in
> both hand scanners and sickbay equipment that would sure make me feel better
> in just keeping my people healthy while they are out there. In fact, I¹ve
> read a few articles published from Dr Corbett on his recommendations on
> exactly that issue.²
> 
> Liza nodded in agreement "There are times I wish I had a second and third
> set of hands even if it's just to treat minor problems that the nurses or
> medics can't handle."  She said "I've gone a long way in giving them extra
> training aboard the Challenger but a back up doctor or computer program.
> We've got the basics of holoprogramming could we do something with that?"
> She asked.
> 
> "Smaller scanners would also be a great advancement."  She said agreeing
> with Emily.
> 
> Corbett listened to what the others said and smiled. It seemed all good
> physicians thought alike and knew exactly what they needed. The only
> question was whether or not Starfleet could make it happen. Pushing his
> Stetson to the back of his head and leaning back in his chair he began to
> unload his thoughts.
> 
> "I know this is a think tank and from here many new procedures and equipment
> will begin to be formulated; however, my concern is not with us, but with
> the Corp of Engineers. The math boys seem to want to beat everything to
> death to the detriment of advancement. How confident are you De that what
> comes out of here can be instituted without too many roadblocks."
> 
> DeForest sat up straight and pondered Corbett's remarks for a moment before
> speaking. "That's what I'm here for Stile. You come up with the solutions to
> your problems and let me worry about dealing with Fleet to get them
> implemented. Now that's not to say you don't have a valid point. Some of the
> advancements we come up with today may need the input from other
> departments, but there are things that are moving behind the scenes that
> will speed these things up tremendously."
> 
> "That's fair De," Corbett said with a smile. "With that said here is my two
> cents when it comes to some of the areas we need improvement on. Battle is a
> part of exploration and contact with other species, I wish it were not, but
> that is the reality. On multiple occasions I have had to utilize one of the
> ship's cargo holds as a minor trauma area."
> 
> Corbett paused for a moment and saw every head nod in agreement. "Now this
> goes along with Dr. Rowe's comment on being the only doctor aboard and
> relying on paramedical staff to handle things when we can't physically be
> available. Let's face it no matter how good our corpsmen are they are not
> physicians. I like the idea of having this backup physician so to speak. I
> have read the basic science behind this holoprogramming and think it has
> merit, but suffers from limitations. The problem is treatment.
> 
> ³From what I've read we would need to have a dedicated room for this
> technology and as far as I know it has only been used to recreate
> environments. I know you can experience tactile interaction through the use
> of force fields, but that won't help a preprogrammed doctor with the
> fine motor skills it would need to accomplish complex medical procedures. I
> think a first step would be to create a computer simulation that we can
> download the Fleet medical database into, then tie it to the imager and a
> modified hand scanner and use it as an adjunctive supervisor to our medics.
> What I mean by this is that there have been times and not so long ago, I
> might add, that I was not physically able to help my medics. I can see them
> accessing this simulation and have it assist them in diagnosis and even in
> critical emergencies walk them through procedures. It's not as ideal as
> having another physician, but I think it might be a good first step."
> 
> Liza listened to what Corbett was saying "That would be a good stop gap
> measure until we can perfect the holoprogramming."  She said "It would give
> the paramedical staff the advantage of more freedom, but it would also give
> us the extra help we need in crisis situations."  She was quiet for a moment
> "What about having two of the paramedical staff that are fully trained on
> the use of this program and they can work the minor injuries and if it works
> well, we expand it to more complex things."   She looked around the table
> "Ultimately we are going to be responsible for anything that happens in our
> Sickbays or trauma bays.. but I'd find it a bit more comforting with this
> kind of option available."
> 
> ³Excellent point, I think we would be remiss if we didn¹t do that.²
> Corbett replied then took a sip of coffee and waited a moment to see if anyone
> had anything else to add before he continued.
> 
> "I'd like to continue with diagnostics, specifically the imager. While this
> is an excellent diagnostic and treatment tool it lacks the ability to show
> you a three dimensional microcellular picture in real time. However, through
> some tinkering I was able to find out that its computer programming has the
> capacity to allow for it. So the problem then comes from its ability to
> accurately distinguish cell lines and differentiation. I believe that we
> could create different radiopaque biomarkers for each cell type that the
> machine could read and assemble into a three dimensional picture allowing us
> to better understand the disease state of our patients and even get more
> precise in targeting our treatments."
> 
> DeForest tapped a couple of keys on the projection system keyboard and a 3-D
> schematic display of a standard NX Sickbay appeared on the screen behind
> him. He turned around with his pointer and marked the current imager. ³From
> what I have gathered from the Engineers involved in the physical space
> upgrades of the NX ships, space for such new equipment is feasible. The
> newest state of the art equipment will replace the current imaging tech and
> take up less space, to boot. Can these improvements you are describing be
> incorporated into either the new equipment, or into the space freed up by
> the upgrades?²
> 
> ³It shouldn¹t be that difficult.² Corbett answered, but felt he better clarify
> the 
> nuances for the departments involved. ³Star Fleet Medical will need to tag the
> various cell lines we have identified to this point, but the actual upload
> shouldn¹t take the engineers more than a day. I will forward over the specs
> I drew up for the old imager and the techs can update it for the new
> equipment²
> 
> All this was just music to Emily Garroway¹s ears. So much of what she had
> read and dreamed of appeared to be happening before her eyes.
> 
> Liza nodded in agreement and made some notes to provide her with a jumping
> off spot for some research.  "Going along with Corbett's statement about the
> Cargo Bay as a minor trauma bay, would it be possible to dedicate the
> majority of a deck to the medical department, so that we can have minor
> trauma, surgery, recovery everything in one area instead of one thing here,
> one thing there and we're having to run from one end to the other."
> 
> ³Medical is placed pretty completely into the center of the ship for
> protections sake. If Sickbay is compromised, the ship is in pretty bad shape
> to begin with. We don¹t want to put ALL our eggs in one basket, so to speak,
> but the upgrade designers have taken into consideration better use of the
> cargo facilities on E Deck. The internal cargo holds adjacent to Sickbay, on
> both port and starboard, will have new hatchways opening directly into the
> corridors left and right of Sickbay. I recommend you also ³remind² your Ops
> Officer of that fact, so they can stock those holds appropriately in case
> they are needed in an emergency,² explained DeForest.
> 
> The conference was extensive, covering all manner of medical and Sickbay
> concerns. Lunch was provided, during which informal discussion continued
> between the physicians.
> 
> After the meal, Admiral DeForest took the floor again. ³I¹d like to make one
> final announcement. The NX has been a proud and prestigious ship. But with
> the changes being made all around, she is a new ship and a new ship deserves
> her own separate identify. It has been decided that all the refitted ships
> will now be designated as NCC. This designation comes from a long line of
> historical aerospace classifications. So, hence forward, the NX-04 will
> become the USS Challenger - NCC-04; the USS Yorktown ­ NCC-05; the USS
> Meridian ­ NCC-06; and the USS Intrepid- NCC-07.²
> 
> The Admiral paused for some brief applause, smiling at the obvious pleasure
> on the faces of the doctors. He continued, ³I expect more detailed
> designations will be required as we add our Federation partner¹s ships to
> the Fleet, but no longer are you the NX Fleet Chief Medical Officers. You
> are all members of the senior staff of the NCC Fleet. Congratulations. You
> are part of an elite group and I am proud to know each one of you
> personally. 
> 
> ³I thank you for making the sacrifice to be with us here today. I hope it
> has been helpful. I know I have a much better idea of the needs of our
> medical officers, as well as the pleasure of knowing each of you
> individually now. The coffee and tea will be kept fresh and hot for a while,
> so if you choose to hang around to visit informally, you are more than
> welcome to continue to use these facilities. Good luck to you all, and safe
> sailing among the stars.²
> 
> ~~~
> Admiral R DeForest
> Starfleet Medical
> San Francisco 
> (apb all) 
> & 
> Dr Liza Rowe 
> Chief Medical Officer
> USS Challenger ­ NCC-04
> &
> Dr Zara Bose 
> Chief Medical Officer
> USS Yorktown ­ NCC-05
> &
> Dr Stile Corbett 
> Chief Medical Officer
> USS Meridian ­ NCC-06
> &
> Dr Emily Garroway
> Chief Medical Officer
> USS Intrepid ­ NCC-07
>  



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