Scribd
Upload
236 views

Telemedicine

This document discusses telemedicine, including its definition, objectives, benefits and challenges. Telemedicine uses telecommunications to provide healthcare services over distance by connecting medical professionals with patients. It aims to provide specialized care to remote areas, facilitate expert consultations, and enable continuing education. Benefits include improved access to care, diagnosis and treatment for patients and physicians. A telemedicine model connects local treating physicians via audio/visual technology to remote specialists. The document outlines examples of telemedicine applications and discusses challenges in implementing telemedicine programs.

Uploaded by

SonamAggarwalManan
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
236 views

Telemedicine

This document discusses telemedicine, including its definition, objectives, benefits and challenges. Telemedicine uses telecommunications to provide healthcare services over distance by connecting medical professionals with patients. It aims to provide specialized care to remote areas, facilitate expert consultations, and enable continuing education. Benefits include improved access to care, diagnosis and treatment for patients and physicians. A telemedicine model connects local treating physicians via audio/visual technology to remote specialists. The document outlines examples of telemedicine applications and discusses challenges in implementing telemedicine programs.

Uploaded by

SonamAggarwalManan
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 25

Telemedicine

Outline of Presentation
Objectives & Relevance Benefits Model Telemedicine & PPP Images & Graphics Challenges

Telemedicine has been defined as the use of telecommunications to provide medical information and services Provides healthcare services when distance separates the medical professional from the patient

What is Telemedicine

Medicine at a distance(Medicine as we know it from practice, education e.t.c. using information -communication technology in all forms)

Objectives of Telemedicine
Use of information and communication technologies: To provide specialized health care consultation to patients in remote locations, To facilitate video-conferencing among health care experts for better treatment & care, To provide opportunities for continuing education of health care personnel.

Relevance of Telemedicine (why)


Inadequate infrastructure in rural/district hospitals Large number of indoor/outdoor patients requiring referral for specialized care Low-availability of Health Experts in district/remote hospitals Dearth of adequate opportunities for training or continuing Medical Education for Doctors in Rural/Remote Health facilities.

Telemedicine : The Model


Patient under treatment Physician treating the patient A remote telemedicine console having audio visual and data conferencing facilities
PO TS / I SD N

Nodal Hospital

/ L EA SE D

LI NE / V SA T

Referral Hospital
An expert / specialised doctor A central telemedicine server having audio visual and data conferencing facility

System Schematic
Referral Center
Web Cam PSTN / Leased Line / ISDN / VSAT

Digital Camera

Scanner

Doctor / Patient Electronics Microscope

Web Cam

Printer

Specialist Doctor

Scanner Digital camera

ECG Machine
Electronics Stethoscope

Printer

Nodal Center

Telemedicine

ypes of service

Tele consultation Helping the patient to reach a confirm diagnosis. Tele monitoring Example is monitoring a cardiac patient with an ECG. Tele health Mainly consists of health education Tele mentoring Example is telesurgery.

Telemedicine/Tele-diagnosis

Telemedicine/Tele-monitoring

Telemedicine/Tele-consultation

Sequence of Tele-consultation (I) PATIENT IN


Patient visits OPD Local Doctor checks up Patient receives treatment and is not referred to telemedicine system OUT

Step One

Patient referred to the Telemedicine system (some special investigations may be suggested) Patient visits Telemedicine data-entry console. Operator enters patient record, data and images of test results, appointment date is fixed for online telemedicine session Offline Data transfer from Nodal Centre

OUT

Sequence of Tele-consultation (II)


Patient 1 Patient 2 Patient 3 Patient 4 . . . Online video conference & tele-consultation for patients between local doctors at the nodal hospital and specialist doctors at the referral hospital

Step Two

IN

OUT

Patient queue

Telemedicine/Tele-consultation

Benefits of Telemedicine (I)


Benefits to Patients:
Access to specialized health care services to under-served rural, semi-urban and remote areas, Access to expertise of Medical Specialists to a larger population without physical referral, Reduced visits to specialty hospitals for long term follow-up care for the aged and terminally ill patients.

Benefits of Telemedicine (II)


Benefits to Physicians:
Improved diagnosis and better treatment management Access to computerized, comprehensive data (text, voice, images etc.) of patients offline as well as real time Quick and timely follow-up of patients discharged after palliative care Continuing education or training through video conferencing periodically

Benefits of Telemedicine (III)


Hospital and Insurance Benefits:
Significant reduction in unnecessary visits & hospitalization for specialized care at tertiary hospitals, Earlier discharge of patients leading to shorter length of stay in hospitals, Increase in the scope of services without creating physical infrastructure in remote hospitals

Telemedicine in West Bengal (II) PROJECT - I


Referral Center Nodal Centers : School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata : Habra State General Hospital, 24th Parganas (North) : MJN Hospital, Coochbehar Connectivity: First with POTS, upgradation with ISDN, lastly with 512 Kbps Leased Line using WBSWAN as backbone. Disease Types: Skin Related and Blood Related Diseases,Leprosy . Project Completed: December 2003
DIT Sanction No. Project Cost : 2(5)/98-H&B Dated 21.01.1999 : Rs. 150 lakhs

Services Provided
Treatment of Acute Heart Attack cases as evidenced by history and ECG, Treatment by Thrombolysis Referral & Tele-consultation & video conferencing with RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Kolkata

TelemediK Software (I)


Is a point-to-point telemedicine system Symmetric
No distinction between nodal and referral centers Any hospital can communicate to other hospitals 2nd level referral is allowed

Multi nodal, multi referral environment Operates over a spectrum of low to high bandwidth communication channels - POTS, ISDN, leased line, VSAT and wireless media

TelemediK Software (II)


Store & Forward Technical information Online video conferencing and data transfer Electronics Medical Record (EMR) Supported
- Text, Image, Graphics, Audio, Video

Integration with different medical instrument - EEG, ECG, USG, MRI, CT SCAN, Electronic
stethoscope, Microscope fitted with digital camera

Support of medical standards

Live session using 512 Kbps Leased Line

Challenges in Implementing Telemedicine


1. Identification of a Suitable site and preparation of site for Telemedicine facility. 2. Synchronization of civil, electrical and equipment related works. 3. Identification of a nodal officer (Other than Superintendent) for coordinating Telemedicine activities in the hospital. 4. Sensitization and repeated hands-on training of concerned Doctors, Technicians and Nurses. 5. Coordinating with referral centers to fix mutually convenient tele-consultation sessions on a regular basis. 6. Ensuring trouble free & smooth connectivity through WAN (ISDN/Leased Line)

You might also like