You can sit and relax reading your magazine with soft music in the background, a burning log to warm you in a real brick fireplace and a hint of cedar in the air. It's a homey feeling, one you wouldn't expect during a visit to the doctor, but that's exactly what some female patients can look forward to this winter. For now those patients experience all but the wood burning fire.

Obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr. Dale Wilmot recently moved his practice two doors down to 10 Point Finger Road. International Obstetrics and Gynecology Limited was housed in the building with Dr. Roger Wong's practice. Dr. Wilmot said the move was simply a matter of taking advantage of an opportunity to move to larger premises.

While the new office has an 18th century Bermuda-cottage charm and feel, it is very much outfitted with modern day technology. In fact the office is the only ob/gyn practice on the Island that has onsite ultrasound and colposcopy.

"We have ultrasound machines in two of our three examining rooms," said Dr. Wilmot. "And we are working on having one installed in the third."

Dr. Wilmot trained and practiced in the United States for several years before he moved to Bermuda.

"Everywhere I worked in the US it was the norm to have ultrasound equipment in the examining room," he said. "That is not the case in Bermuda and I worked a few years without it here but I found it very frustrating," he said. "I am more comfortable with having the machine readily available, so I had them installed."

Dr. Wilmot said the move has added comfort and convenience for his patients as they can have an ultrasound done as part of their visit, instead of having to schedule one at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for another time.

Not only does the patient save time, but so does Dr. Wilmot. "I am able to make a diagnosis much sooner as I don't have to wait to get scan results back," he said.

And the faster a patient can be diagnosed, the faster corrective action and/or treatment can begin, and the sooner this takes places the better the prognosis.

"I believe it increases quality of care," said Dr. Wilmot.

Conditions like missed abortions, where the foetus is developing abnormally, abnormal uterine bleeding, ovarian cysts, pelvic pain and bleeding in early pregnancies are examples of conditions Dr. Wilmot said he is able to diagnose through ultrasound.

"In the case of missed abortions, I can make the diagnosis on the spot which enables the couple to take action in a more timely fashion should they choose to," he said.

Dr. Wilmot said he's also found that having ultrasound equipment in the examining rooms makes a significant difference for women who tend to be anxious.

Leading the pack in that area are expectant mothers. Dr. Wilmot said simply having the equipment on hand is often reassuring to them. "They feel better knowing that if anything seems amiss we can look at it straight away," he said.

And for high risk pregnancies having the scanner at hand has proved especially useful. "We've had people who haven't felt the baby move all day, come in frantic. We can quickly check and reduce anxiety, or manage any complication that might have occurred," he added.

And many of his patients do fall in the category of high risk pregnancies. This is because his office specialises in those with fertility problems. Four years ago International Obstetrics and Gynecology partnered with the Diamond Institute in New Jersey, providing help for couples finding it difficult to conceive. As part of that arrangement, patients undergoing invitro fertilisation (IVF) are able to be monitored at the Point Finger Road office.

"We can monitor the IVF cycles with ultrasound," said Dr. Wilmot. "We monitor the cycle for the first week for all our fertility patients and this shortens the time they need to be off Island. Instead of three weeks they can go for 12 days as a great deal of the monitoring can be done here," he added.

Dr. Wilmot said having the scanners onsite was a 'win win' situation for both him and his patients.

"They also enjoy the privacy that comes with having their scans done here," he said. But he admitted there is room for abuse. He said most pregnant women, especially those expecting for the first time, would like to have an ultrasound on every visit. "We do not do that," he said.

Ultrasound has been used for more than 20 years as a tool to monitor the development of a foetus. According to the American Food and Drug Administration there have been no cases where using the scan has caused damage.

But Dr. Wilmot said that in an effort to practice in a responsible and ethical manner, he refrains from using the ultrasound unless there is a medical reason to do so. "There have not been any reported problems but ethically I can't use it for parents to simply take baby pictures," he said. He also noted that using the machine irresponsibly could drive up healthcare costs.

Dr. Wilmot's patients also benefit from his having a colposcopy machine on site. The machine has been installed in one examining room. It used to scrutinise cells in the cervix, vagina and vulva, facilitating diagnosis of cancer in these areas.

A colposcopy scan is usually ordered when a pap smear shows an abnormal result. The machine features a bright light and binoculars which allow the practitioner a better view of the cells.

Dr. Wilmot is specially trained in this area and said his patients who require this service are particularly appreciative of the privacy that comes with having the procedure done at his office instead of the hospital.

A colposcopy exam is invasive and patients are typically nervous. "Having this service outside of the institutional setting of a hospital, does afford many patients a degree of relaxation and comfort," said Dr. Wilmot.

Both the ultrasound devices and the colposcopy unit are compact and don't clutter the office. In fact Dr. Wilmot noted that they've also saved a lot of physical space by maintaining electronic records. "You'll notice we don't have those big filing cabinets. They take up a lot of space and they also add to the institutional atmosphere," he said. "We hold all our patient files electronically. This ensures clear communication between us and other facilities whether it's King Edward VII Memorial Hospital down the road or The Diamond Institute in New Jersey.

"We find it a more efficient way of operating and important to our commitment in providing high quality care to our patients," he said. "We have consciously worked to also provide a healthy environment for our staff. We are healthcare professionals and it's my view that we should have an atmosphere that fosters good health and wellness for our patients and ourselves."