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Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons (SLS)
SLS's Chairman, Paul Alan Wetter, MD, shared these insights with us.
OBGYN.net: How are you better serving your membership with Internet Technology?
Dr. Wetter Laparoendoscopic Surgery is such a vastly growing field that our members need the latest information instantly. The Internet has provided the perfect opportunity for physicians and other medical staff to find the information they need NOW to aid in the care of their patients.
We've utilized the Internet to develop an ongoing e-mail discussion list ( SLS-List@SLS.org ) where members can discuss clinical issues with their colleagues, and developed a Web site ( www.sls.org ). At our Web site you can find information about upcoming conferences, current and back issues of our newsletter, The SLS Report, summaries of articles from JSLS, Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, and opportunities to travel with SLS Minimally Invasive Surgical Delegations. This year we have added a Membership Directory/Patient Referral area where all our current members are listed. As the field of minimally invasive surgery has expanded, the demand for laparoendoscopic surgeons has increased exponentially. Listing our members at our site has made it easier for patients to find trained surgeons in their area, and for surgeons to find colleagues to consult with.
OBGYN.net: Why did you decide to build a web site?
Dr. Wetter The Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons was founded on the belief that shared knowledge is essential to raising the standard of patient care. Our membership is made up of surgeons across all specialties, including general surgery, gynecology, urology, and others who use these techniques. The sharing of knowledge as allowed with Internet technology was the natural step for our organization to take. Early in the organization's history, virtually all planning meetings ended with discussions of utilizing e-mail and the Internet to provide information to our members.
The decision to include a Web site came in early 1995 as we investigated commercial on-line services for forums. We found though that global access was necessary as our membership is international. Our diverse membership has a wide range of access situations, and we believed a Web site on the Internet was the most accessible to all our members.
OBGYN.net: When was your site launched?
Dr. Wetter December 3, 1995 as part of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons Fourth Annual Meeting, Endo Expo '95.
OBGYN.net: What has been the greatest advantage in using the Internet?
Dr. Wetter For our members it has been the quick access to medical information. This includes researching cases, communicating with other surgeons, and contacting associations and medical societies. The Patient Referral area of our web site has been an important benefit for our SLS members because not only can they find other surgeons to consult with, potential patients can find them as well. The general public is no longer limited to what they can find in the phone book. Now they can visit our site and find SLS surgeon members who practice minimally invasive surgical and diagnostic procedures.
OBGYN.net: What is the future goals of your organization on the Internet?
Dr. Wetter Our current goals are to continue to include member input into the development of the site, enhance the information located at the Membership Directory/Patient Referral pages, institute on-line CME offerings, and offer electronic publication options for members. The Internet is growing every day, and we will grow with it!
Paul Alan Wetter, MD
Chairman
Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons
7330 SW 62nd Place, Suite 410
Miami, FL 33143-4825
Phone: (305) 665-9959
Fax: (305) 667-4123
Toll Free: (800) 446-2659
Email: Paul@SLS.org
Internet: www.sls.org
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