21-05-2012, 01:38 PM
A FOCUS ON TELE MEDICINE
A FOCUS ON TELE MEDICINE.ppt (Size: 1.41 MB / Downloads: 31)
Telemedicine has been defined as the use of telecommunications to provide medical information and services. It may be as simple as two health professionals discussing a case over the telephone, or as sophisticated as using satellite technology to broadcast a consultation between providers at facilities in two countries, using videoconferencing equipment or robotic technology.
Types of telemedicine
Telemedicine is practiced on the basis of two concepts:
real time (synchronous) and
store-and-forward (asynchronous)
Real time telemedicine
Real time telemedicine could be as simple as a telephone call or as complex as robotic surgery. It requires the presence of both parties at the same time and a communications link between them that allows a real-time interaction to take place. Video-conferencing equipment is one of the most common forms of technologies used in synchronous telemedicine.
There are also peripheral devices which can be attached to computers or the video-conferencing equipment which can aid in an interactive examination.
For instance, a tele-otoscope allows a remote physician to 'see' inside a patient's ear; a
tele-stethoscope allows the consulting remote physician to hear the patient's heartbeat.
Store-and-forward telemedicine
Store-and-forward telemedicine involves acquiring medical data (like medical images, biosignals etc) and then transmitting this data to a doctor or medical specialist at a convenient time for assessment offline. It does not require the presence of both parties at the same time.
Advantages of Telemedicine
Providing healthcare services via telemedicine offers many advantages. It can make specialty care more accessible to underserved rural and urban populations.
Video consultations from a rural clinic to a specialist can alleviate prohibitive travel and associated costs for patients.
Video conferencing also opens up new possibilities for continuing education or training for isolated or rural health practitioners, who may not be able to leave a rural practice to take part in professional meetings or educational opportunities.
the use of telemedicine can also cut costs of medical care for those in rural areas.
Clinical devices
This will include minimum standards for all the clinical devices to be interfaced or integrated with the telemedicine system, including performance specifications for devices measuring diagnostic parameters, imaging devices, compression, and their safety requirements.
Hardware
Video conferencing units
This will include minimum standards for video conferencing system, including data rate, picture resolution, frame rate, type of camera, audio quality etc.
Communication hardware
This will include minimum standards for various hardware used for interfacing the telemedicine system with the communication network, including all types of terrestrial and satellite based networks.
Possibilities of Telemedicine
Transmission of digitized audio, video, and still images
Improvements in quality of care in rural and underserved communities
Overcoming isolation of rural practitioners by linking them to urban medical centers
Delivery of information and services into the home
Keeping patients in the community and maintaining continuity of care
Reduction of travel time and expense for physicians and patients
Increased mobility as people move from urban to rural areas with continued access to specialists
New business and marketing opportunities