Why NeuroCast.at and Synapse Vienna?
What began during the Covid-19 crisis has evolved into two well-established and highly demanded formats:
NeuroCast.at is primarily aimed at patients and their families, while Synapse Vienna addresses an academic audience with scientifically grounded lectures – including accredited continuing-education points.
The Origins: GTmed (since 1995)
In 1995, at a time when many were still using CompuServe and its email services, François Alesch and Dieter Volc developed the idea of making medical content available online. Within the so-called “Global Village” – as the online community referred to itself back then – they aimed to share their medical expertise and improve communication with patients.
It quickly became apparent, however, that the static “Special Interest Groups” on CompuServe offered too little flexibility to achieve the true goal: real-time, live interaction with patients. The technical infrastructure required for telemedicine simply did not yet exist. Even the establishment of a dedicated “Society for Telemedicine” (GTmed – the origin of the name) could not change this.
The internet was too slow, and although ISDN showed promise, the technology was expensive and unavailable to most private households.
Despite several noteworthy live broadcasts of medical content, the breakthrough never materialized, and GTmed discontinued its activities in 2005. Yet the vision remained alive.
The Restart During the Covid Era (from 2020 onward)
Fifteen years later, everything suddenly changed:
Interactive online formats became widely accepted, technically feasible, and urgently needed. The Covid-19 pandemic created a situation in which the demand for live, interactive medical information was higher than ever before.
This is where the original GTmed vision found new life.
NeuroCast and PainCast were born – low-threshold, interactive livestreams for patients and families, offering accessible, understandable, and real-time medical education. The format quickly established itself.
Institutionalisation and Professionalisation (2021–2024)
In 2021, the association Synapse Vienna, based in Vienna, was founded.
It serves as the scientific arm of the project, organizing professional lectures, symposia, and accredited continuing-education events for medical professionals.
In 2024, the next logical step followed:
The former domain GTmed.com was transitioned into NeuroCast.at – a name that clearly reflects the mission: interactive, modern, and barrier-free medical knowledge sharing.
Today
NeuroCast.at now offers regular livestreams and on-demand recordings on neurological and pain-related topics and has become a trusted resource for patients and their families.
Synapse Vienna complements this by providing academic events, high-quality expert lectures, and continuing-education credits – increasingly positioning itself as an interdisciplinary hub for neurology, neurosurgery, and related fields.
The original 1995 vision is now a reality:
Interactive telemedicine – fast, accessible, and available to everyone.