PressReleaseE-learningfrom123sonographyagainstCOVID-19AustriancompanyteachespulmonaryultrasoundandCOVID-19protectionmeasuresforphysiciansandmedicalstaffworldwideinfreewebinarsMorethan70,000physiciansworldwide,amongthemmanyfromseverelyaffectedcountriessuchasItaly,Spain,France,BelgiumandtheUSA,havesofarviewedthewebinars,onlineeventsandcoursesprovidedfreeofchargebytheViennesemed-techcompanyinthecontextoftheCOVID-19pandemiconitse-learningandcommunityplatform123sonography.com.“Pulmonaryultrasound,which can be used to detect COVID-19 pneumonia, plays an essential role in the diagnosis andtreatmentofCOVID-19patients.Thehighnumberofusersinjustafewdaysshowsthegreatneedfor knowledge in this sector,” explains Professor Dr. Thomas Binder, cardiologist of the ViennaGeneralHospital,headoftheecholaboratoryandfounderof123sonography,theworld’slargestproviderofultrasoundandechocardiographye-learning.123sonography.comrecentlydevelopedintoacentralcommunicationplatform,wherephysiciansexchangeinformationonatransnationallevelaboutCOVID-19relatedintensivecareandrespiratorytherapy.Vienna,9April2020–Theneedofmedical staff foradequateandquicklyavailable training in thefield of pulmonary ultrasound of COVID-19 patients is enormous. Only very few have sufficientexperience. In cooperation with the Medical University of Vienna and the Vienna MedicalAssociation, 123sonography created an online video training program consisting of several onlinecourses in a very short time already at the beginning of the pandemic. This program specificallyteaches the handling and treatment of COVID-19 patients, such as the correct use of protectiveequipment, correct disinfection and the strategic logistics for infection prevention, which will belaunchednextweek.“It’saraceagainsttime.Theurgencyofthecrisisrequiresfastactiontosupportthosewhoareonthefrontlineandarethemselvesexposedtoahighriskofinfection,”saysThomasBinder. If the traditional path of academic exchange in the form of seminars and conferences isblocked, e-learning is the only way to quickly transfer teaching content from experts and newfindingstohealthcareprofessionals (HCP) inallcountriesof theworld.Thenetworkingofmedicalpersonnelwitheachother is equally important inorder toexchangeexperiences in intensive careandrespiratorytherapiesandthustobeabletomakeavaluablecontributiontotheproductionofafuturetherapyandvaccination.Dr.BaldasarreFerro,anintensivecarephysicianfromLivorno,isoneofthespeakersofthewebinar:“Itisbothfrustratingandfrighteningforusthatwedonotfullyunderstandandcannotexplainwhyevenyoungandhealthypatientsdieorwhythecourseofthediseasemaybemildinolderpatientswithpre-existingconditions.”123sonographyonlineeventforCOVID-19receivesworldwideattentionAfterthepandemicincreasinglyexacerbatedinseveralEUneighboringcountries,25,000HCPsfrom127countriesvisited theonlineeventsof123sonographyondiagnosisand treatmentofCOVID-19patients. Intensive care physicians and experts from Italy, France, China, the USA and Austriareported on their experiences and answered the most critical of the more than 700 questions

submittedbytheaudience.Theeventisoneofthemostwatchedonlineeventsinthemedicalfieldworldwide.Togetherwithfurthertrainingvideosonthetopic,123sonographyreached70,000visitors.“Itisourmoral obligation to help our colleagues,who risk their lives every day,with all our resources andpossibilities,”explainsThomasBinder.About123sonography123sonography currently counts 450,000 health care professionals from 175 countries among itsinternational users. Founded in 2009 by Dr. Thomas Binder and located in Vienna, the companyoffers various online ultrasound courses with international CME certification (AMA PRA-1)(https://www.123sonography.com/cme-credits). Since December 2019, following a managementchange and financial restructuring, the business has been jointlymanaged by Thomas Binder andManuel Gusterer. In the same year 2019, 123sonography acquired the US-American companySonoWorld from the Intelios Group, which is one of the major players in the education sector.Ultrasound diagnostics is currently one of the fastest growing markets for imaging techniques inmedicaltechnology.Thecompany’svisionistomakemedicaldiagnosticsofultrasoundandechocardiographyeasilyandcost-effectively accessible via e-learning to physicians and medical personnel worldwide in thehighestqualityandprofessionalism.All123sonographycoursesarecertifiedaccordingtoAMAPRACategory 1 CME[2] Credits™. The studymaterial consists of videos, interactive case studies, atlas,demos,quizzesandisaccessibletoallusers.Thecoursescanbetakenatonceorflexiblyindifferenttime frames. In addition, liveevents areheld in various countries and cities around theworld, forexample in Dubai. Partnerships exist with theMedical University of Vienna, the AustrianMedicalAssociation,SonoSkills,UniversalUltrasoundManagementand3rdRockUltrasound.ProfessorDr.ThomasBinderisthefounderof123sonographyandaspecialistforinternalmedicineandcardiology.He is theheadof theecho laboratoryof the2ndMedicalUniversityClinicVienna,Cardiology. He completed his medical studies at the Medical University of Vienna in 1985. AfternumerousresearchstaysintheUSA,hecompletedhisspecialisttrainingininternalmedicinein1992andhisspecialisttrainingincardiologyin1994.In2000,hewasappointedprofessorattheMedicalUniversity of Vienna,where hewas appointed head of the echo laboratory in the same year. Dr.Binder’smainresearchfocus is inthefieldof imagingtechniques incardiology,andhereespeciallyon heart ultrasound (echocardiography). In his scientific capacity, he is the author of numerousarticlesinnationalandinternationaljournalsandbookcontributions.HehasservedasDeputyEditorof the European Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging and as Co-Editor of Medscape/Web MD. Dr.Binderisamemberofnumerousinternationalprofessionalsocieties.HeisalsoafoundingmemberandSecretaryoftheEuropeanCardiologySectionFoundation(ECSF)andSecretaryoftheEuropeanBoard for Accreditation in Cardiology (EBAC) as well as the Cardiology Section of the UnionEuropéennedesMédicinsSpécialistes (UEMS). In2018, togetherwithcolleagues fromtheMedicalUniversity of Vienna, he received the Austrian “Ars Docendi Award” for his blended learningprogram.

Presscontactcom.media–CommunicationAgencyKarinAssadianT:+436763363568karin.assadian@commedia.co.atwww.commedia.co.at123sonography.comProfessorDr.ThomasBinderT:+436601241231thomas.binder@123sonography.comwww.123sonography.com