Cox Business Hooks Up Oklahoma Hospitals with Remote Data Tools

“Oklahoma’s largest not-for-profit health organization is expanding its telemedicine capabilities with an advanced data solution from Cox Business.
The data connections allow facilities in the Integris Health network to execute remote video consultations, real-time information exchange, imaging and voice-over-Internet-protocol applications.”
Article
Linda Haugsted, Multichannel News, 2 October 2008

Telehealth program serves growing elderly population

“The telehealth program, an interactive TV system for providing care and monitoring for patients in their own living rooms, is part of the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Home Care Network’s efforts to keep elderly patients out of the emergency room or a nursing home.
Telehealth is a means of using technology to monitor people more frequently in their homes and keep them in their homes as long as possible.”
Article
Rhoda Amon, Newsday.com, 29 September 2008

Visiting nurses to use telehealth program

“The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia will be monitoring patients in Montgomery County through a telehealth program.
The association will provide a personalized telehealth service in Montgomery County, a suburban county northwest of Philadelphia, for patients with chronic heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.”
Article
Molly Merrill, Healthcare IT News, 18 September 2008

Stroke patients to test sensors

“Motion sensors similar to those developed for video games like Nintendo Wii may help stroke patients relearn simple tasks, researchers say.
A UK team is assessing such technology to see if it can be used to monitor improvements in upper body movements in patients undergoing physiotherapy.”
Article
BBC News, 15 September 2008

What’s the buzz about Self-Monitoring?

“One of the areas getting ready to grow dramatically in the near future is self monitoring. As countries face physician resource crises, patients are unable to find family physicians and chronic diseases become a greater burden on already overloaded healthcare systems, new processes and sytems will evolve to deal with the demand for care. A significant amount of chronic disease care is provided through hospital based ambulatory clinics and through other specialty clinics. However, there are only so many hands on board and providing increased face-to-face services is not always the best option.”
Article
Alan Brookstone, Canadian EMR, 28 August 2008

ICW selected for US telehealth programme

“German e-health specialist InterComponentWare (ICW) has been selected by US health network Coventry Health Care to provide the infrastructure for a home monitoring programme.
ICW will provide the interoperability platform and infrastructure technology for Coventry Health’s telemonitoring pilot program.”
Article
e-Health Europe, 27 August 2008

Doctors On The Go Drive Wireless Healthcare

“The increase in the level of healthcare being delivered by mobile medical practitioners outside of hospitals will become a key driver within the medical device market over the next decade. According to a report by Cambridge UK based analysts Wireless Healthcare, as healthcare providers are pushing more diagnostic and monitoring processes out to the edge of their care networks, medical device vendors are responding by adding more advanced communications technology to their products.”
Article
Wireless Healthcare, 23 July 2008

Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, TOC, July 2008

Telerehabilitation for service delivery in speech-language pathology
“Communication disorders in adults and children can have a significant effect on their quality of life and on that of their families. Speech-language pathologists face several challenges in providing assessment and treatment services to such people. Challenges include facilitating equitable access to services and providing appropriate management within a changing social and economic context. Telerehabilitation has the potential to deliver services in the home or local community via videoconferencing and through interactive computer-based therapy activities. This form of service delivery has the capacity to optimize functional outcomes by facilitating generalization of treatment effects within the person’s everyday environment, and enable monitoring of communication and swallowing behaviours on a long-term basis. A number of image-based telerehabilitation applications have been used in the management of adult neurogenic speech and language disorders, stuttering, voice disorders, speech and language disorders in children, laryngectomy and swallowing dysfunction. Further development of such applications and other computer-based therapies, cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses, and professional education are needed if telerehabilitation is to become an integral part of speech-language pathology practice.”
Abstract
Deborah G Theodoros, J Telemed Telecare 2008;14 221-224, doi:10.1258/jtt.2007.007044

Telehealth: a child and family-friendly approach to mental health-care reform
“Limited access to paediatric mental health services and high drop-out rates from treatment result in poor health outcomes for families with children with mental health problems. New ways of delivering care are required. Telehealth is a promising approach. The Family Help programme employs manualized, distance treatment by telephone. Participants in the Family Help programme (both adults and children) have reported a strong therapeutic alliance with their telephone coach. Participants also described how during treatment sessions they felt comfortable and safe in their own home; they did not feel stigmatized or judged; they had little apprehension about self-disclosure and they felt that treatment was delivered at their convenience. Treatment calls were often scheduled after typical working hours. Attrition rates were found to be very low and children actively engaged in the structured, distance treatment. Evidence-based, distance delivery using non-professionals is a promising approach to the delivery of paediatric mental health care.”
Abstract
Patricia Lingley-Pottie and Patrick J McGrath, J Telemed Telecare 2008;14 225-226, doi:10.1258/jtt.2008.008001

Effect of a behavioural health and specialty care telemedicine programme on goal attainment for youths in juvenile detention
“We conducted a pre-post study of the effect of a telepsychiatry counselling service on youths housed in three juvenile detention facilities. In the first year of the telemedicine programme, 321 psychiatry consultations were conducted via telemedicine; in the second year of the programme, 573 psychiatry consultations were conducted. Records for 190 students were then examined by two raters. The total number of behavioural goals for each adolescent increased from 8.2 in the pre-telemedicine year to 8.7 in the first year of telemedicine and then to 10.0 in the second year (P < 0.05). In Year 2 of the study, subjects also had a significantly higher number of goals in four of the five categories: education, family, health and social skills (P < 0.05). Although other changes at the youth detention facilities or in the juvenile justice system may have been partly responsible for the effects observed, the study suggests that telemedicine may be useful for improving the rate of attainment of goals associated with family relations and personality/behaviour."
Abstract
Karen C Fox, Pamela Connor, Elizabeth McCullers, and Teresa Waters, J Telemed Telecare 2008;14 227-230, doi:10.1258/jtt.2008.071102

Non-invasive monitoring of the activities of daily living of elderly people at home – a pilot study of the usage of domestic appliances
“We conducted a feasibility study of a system for non-invasive monitoring of subjects at home. Electrical activity was recorded from room lights and from electrical domestic appliances; this was translated into the probability of physical activity or a particular Activity of Daily Living (ADL). Thirteen volunteer subjects were monitored for a period of 6.4 months (range 3–8). The mean age of the subjects was 80 years and they all lived alone at home; one had moderate Alzheimer’s disease. A one-week validation was carried out to ascertain whether the recorded activity actually occurred. The results showed that daily and nocturnal activity could be well differentiated. The probability of having eaten, taken a bath and going to the toilet could be calculated each day. Eating was the most accurately measured ADL; toileting and bathing results were less accurate. The system appears to be a promising component of home telecare.”
Abstract
Georgina Corte Franco, Floriane Gallay, Marc Berenguer, Christine Mourrain, and Pascal Couturier, J Telemed Telecare 2008;14 231-235, doi:10.1258/jtt.2008.071207

A paediatric therapeutic alliance occurs with distance intervention
“We investigated whether a distance therapeutic alliance occurs when children receive manualized, cognitive-behavioural treatment via telephone, in the absence of face-to-face contact. The therapeutic alliance scores were measured in 55 child–parent pairs. The mean total Working Alliance Inventory child scores were 236 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 232, 240) and the mean parent scores were 245 (95% CI: 242, 247). Parent scores were significantly higher than child scores, although the difference may not be clinically meaningful. This study provides evidence that a strong therapeutic alliance does occur between child–coach and parent–coach pairs when treatment is delivered from a distance by non-professionals. The term ‘child’ encompasses both children and adolescents.”
Abstract
Patricia Lingley-Pottie and Patrick J McGrath, J Telemed Telecare 2008;14 236-240, doi:10.1258/jtt.2008.080101

International telepsychiatry: a study of patient acceptability
“An international telepsychiatry service was established between Denmark and Sweden for cross-cultural patient groups, such as asylum seekers, refugees and migrants. Over an 18-month period starting in mid 2006, 30 patients were treated by telepsychiatry (21 men and 9 women). The patients received mental health care by videoconferencing from providers who spoke the patients’ own language, i.e. without the assistance of interpreters. The total number of telepsychiatry sessions was 203 (range 1–22; average 6.8 sessions per patient). Patients completed a satisfaction questionnaire at the end of treatment. Seven patients (23%) were not able to complete a questionnaire, due to illiteracy and/or a psychotic condition. The rest of the patients (n=23) reported a high level of acceptance and satisfaction with telepsychiatry, as well as a willingness to use it again or recommend it to others. Any disadvantages of telemedicine were compensated by the fact that the doctor and patient spoke the same language and had similar cultural and/or national references. Mentally ill asylum seekers, refugees and migrants are under-served in their mother tongue and telepsychiatry can improve access to scarce health-care resources.”
Abstract
Davor Mucic , J Telemed Telecare 2008;14 241-243, doi:10.1258/jtt.2008.080301

The availability of telecardiology consultations and transfer patterns from a remote neonatal intensive care unit
“We examined records of all admissions to an isolated community neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in California between 2001 and 2006. We also reviewed the echocardiograms for diagnosis, disposition of patient and necessity for transport. In 2004, a telemedicine link (mainly store-and-forward) was established to a university children’s hospital (UCH) 290 km away. The number of NICU patients having an echocardiogram increased from 280 (27% of 1029 admissions) to 385 (40% of 963, P = <0.001) after telemedicine became available. There was an increase in the proportion of normal studies, from 31% to 37% (P = 0.03), and an increase in the number of patients diagnosed with cardiac pathology from 192 (19% of all admissions) to 241 (25%, P < 0.001). Twenty-four patients were transferred for cardiac reasons during each three-year period; however seven pre-telemedicine transfers were avoidable, compared with two post-telemedicine transfers (P = 0.06). There was a change in referral pattern (65% to the UCH pre-telemedicine, compared with 78% post-telemedicine) although it was not significant (P = 0.10). Thus the availability of the telecardiology link was associated with increases in the utilization of echocardiography, in the proportion of normal studies, and in the percentage of neonates diagnosed with cardiac pathology without an increase in the number transferred for cardiac reasons. There was a reduction in unnecessary transfers and a strengthened relationship with the centre providing the telecardiology service."
Abstract
Tannie Huang, Anita J Moon-Grady, Craig Traugott, and James Marcin, J Telemed Telecare 2008;14 244-248, doi:10.1258/jtt.2008.080102

Feasibility of a home-based telerehabilitation system compared to usual care: arm/hand function in patients with stroke, traumatic brain injury and multiple sclerosis
“We conducted a randomized controlled multicentre trial to investigate the feasibility of a telerehabilitation intervention for arm/hand function (the Home Care Activity Desk [HCAD] training) in a home setting. Usual care was compared to HCAD training. The hypothesis was that the clinical outcomes of the HCAD intervention would be at least the same as those measured after a period of usual care for patients with stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and multiple sclerosis (MS) with respect to their arm/hand function. Eighty-one patients with affected arm/hand function resulting from either stroke, MS or TBI were recruited in Italy, Spain and Belgium; 11 were lost during follow-up (14%). The outcome measures were the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) and the Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT). There were no significant differences between the two groups on the outcome measures (ARAT and NHPT); in both groups, patients maintained or even improved their arm/hand function. The HCAD training was found to be as feasible as usual care in terms of clinical outcomes, and both therapists and patients were satisfied with the HCAD intervention. A telerehabilitation intervention using HCAD may increase the efficiency of care.”
Abstract
Barbara CH Huijgen, Miriam MR Vollenbroek-Hutten, Mauro Zampolini, Eloy Opisso, Montse Bernabeu, Johan Van Nieuwenhoven, Stephan Ilsbroukx, Riccardo Magni, Claudia Giacomozzi, Velio Marcellari, Sandro Scattareggia Marchese, and Hermie J Hermens, J Telemed Telecare 2008;14 249-256, doi:10.1258/jtt.2008.080104

Satisfaction with care in post-stroke patients undergoing a telerehabilitation programme at home
“We conducted a pilot telerehabilitation study with post-stroke patients with arm motor impairment. We compared the degree of satisfaction of patients undergoing a virtual reality (VR) therapy programme at home (Tele-VR group) to satisfaction experienced by those undergoing the same VR therapy in a hospital setting (VR-group). The rehabilitation equipment used a 3D motion tracking system to create a virtual environment in which the patient’s movement was represented. In tele-therapy, the patient equipment was installed in their homes, connected to the hospital by four ISDN lines at a total bandwidth of 512 kbit/s. Rehabilitation data were transmitted via one line and videoconferencing via the other three. Ten patients with mild to intermediate arm motor impairment due to an ischaemic stroke, were randomized into VR or Tele-VR groups. A questionnaire was used at the end of treatment to measure each patient’s degree of satisfaction. Tele-VR treated patients showed median values equal to or higher than the VR group patients in all 12 items investigated, except one. In motor performance, the Tele-VR group improved significantly (P ? 0.05), while the VR group showed no significant change. Patients assigned to the Tele-VR group were able to engage in therapy at home and the videoconferencing system ensured a good relationship between the patient and the physical therapist whose physical proximity was not required.”
Abstract
Lamberto Piron, Andrea Turolla, Paolo Tonin, Francesco Piccione, Lisa Lain, and Mauro Dam, J Telemed Telecare 2008;14 257-260, doi:10.1258/jtt.2008.080304

Caregivers’ acceptance of electronic documentation in nursing homes
“A comparative study was conducted in two Australian nursing homes operated by the same organization. One home had implemented an electronic documentation system and the other remained paper-based. Survey questionnaires were answered by 14 of the 17 caregivers at the electronic documentation site (82%) and 10 of the 23 caregivers at the paper documentation site (43%). They provided opinions about satisfaction with their home’s documentation system, and the training and support provided. Information was also obtained on the caregivers’ attitudes towards using electronic documentation. The caregivers at the electronic documentation site quickly adapted to the use of the new technology after receiving effective training and support. Caregivers at both homes were satisfied with their homes’ documentation system, and had positive attitudes towards using electronic documentation systems. As an important communication tool, electronic nursing documentation may lead to improved efficacy of telemedicine in nursing home settings.”
Abstract
Ping Yu, David Hailey, and Haocheng Li, J Telemed Telecare 2008;14 261-265, doi:10.1258/jtt.2008.080310

The use of videoconferencing for mental health services in Finland
“The utilization of telemental health (TMH) services in Finland was surveyed in 2006. In total, 135 health-care units provided responses. Eighty-four responses were received from primary care units (health-care centres and clinics) and eight from other clinics, in all hospital districts. The overall rate of TMH consultations was 4 per 100,000 population. The highest TMH consultation per population ratio, 22 per 100,000, was in northern Finland. Most of the sites used telepsychiatry services for less than 10% of clinical outpatient services. The sites with over 20% utilization of clinical TMH services from all psychiatric consultations were all rural health centres. Compared with Finland, the utilization rates of TMH were higher in Canada; that might be due to differences between the countries in the organization of mental health services in primary and specialized care. In Finland TMH consultations made up only a very small proportion of all mental health services. The use of TMH was particularly common in remote areas; however, there were many rural centres that did not utilize clinical TMH. TMH was widely utilized for continuing and medical education.”
Abstract
Arto Ohinmaa, Risto Roine, David Hailey, Marja-Leena Kuusimäki, and Ilkka Winblad, J Telemed Telecare 2008;14 266-270, doi:10.1258/jtt.2008.071212

Use of mobile phone cameras for after-hours triage in primary care
“Mobile phone images might be useful in after-hours triage of primary care. We conducted a study to identify population access to mobile phone cameras and to assess the clinical usefulness of mobile phone cameras. The survey was conducted among 480 patients attending two rural New Zealand practices. There were significantly more Maori owners compared to non-Maori (P = 0.002). Age was a significant factor influencing the ownership of mobile phones. We also conducted a clinical quiz among health professionals to assess how the provision of images on a mobile phone and on CD-ROM (to simulate the image that would be seen if email was used to transmit the images) influenced diagnostic confidence. Ten photographable clinical conditions were used to quiz 30 health professionals who were randomized into three groups of 10 each on diagnostic confidence. Images were found to significantly increase diagnostic confidence in all cases except one. It appears that mobile phone cameras are generally acceptable to patients and likely to be of practical use to rural practitioners in a range of clinical scenarios.”
Abstract
Chandra Jayaraman, Paul Kennedy, Gaelle Dutu, and Ross Lawrenson, J Telemed Telecare 2008;14 271-274, doi:10.1258/jtt.2008.080303

Der elektronische Gesundheits-Check

“Wenn der Nachwuchs noch klein ist, wollen Eltern ihn am liebsten lückenlos überwachen. Sie wollen wissen, wo er ist, was er macht und wie es ihm geht. Irgendwann aber dreht sich das um: Haben die Eltern das Rentenalter erreicht und steht es mit ihrer Gesundheit nicht mehr zum Besten, sind es die Kinder, die stets über das Wohlbefinden von Mutter und Vater informiert sein wollen.”
Article (German)
Alexander Stirn, F.A.Z., 21 July 2008

Intel gets approval for telecare device

“Intel has received market clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new personal telehealth system, called Intel Health Guide.
The new telecare device, which has been tested in the US and UK, is described as a care management tool for healthcare professionals who manage patients with chronic conditions.
Intel says the device serves as a new category of ‘personal health system’ that can be connected to a range of wired and wireless patient monitoring devices, sending personal data to a secure server.”
Article
e-Health Insider, 14 July 2008

Intel gets FDA OK for personal health system

“Intel Corp, the world’s biggest computer chip maker, said on Thursday it won clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to sell a personal in-home health monitoring system for patients with chronic conditions.
The system, called Health Guide, combines an in-home patient device as well as online access that enables healthcare professionals to monitor patients and remotely manage care.”
Article
Reuters UK, 10 July 2008

La mayor parte de las aplicaciones de telemedicina que se realizan en Cataluña son entre médicos

“El 46,2 por ciento de las entidades sanitarias de Cataluña ya llevan a cabo aplicaciones de telemedicina, que se realizan principalmente entre médicos (21,2 por ciento), entre un paciente y su médico local con un médico de referencia (13,5) y entre un paciente y un médico local (11,5 por ciento). Esta es una de las principales conclusiones del Mapa de Tendencias 2008 de la Fundación Tic Salut, dependiente de la Administración sanitaria, que se ha presentado en la sede de CaixaForum en Barcelona. El informe se basa en encuestas realizadas a centros hospitalarios y de Atención Primaria y tiene el objetivo de conocer el nivel de desarrollo de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) en las organizaciones sanitarias de Cataluña e identificar y presentar las tendencias mundiales.”
Article (Spanish)
El Médico interactivo, 5 July 2008

Multiple benefits of remote patient monitoring devices increase their potential

“In the past, healthcare executives were not supportive of remote patient monitoring (RPM) devices because of the costs involved. However, the quality and benefits of available RMP technology are making the devices increasingly attractive.”
Article
HealthTech Wire, 1 July 2008

Effectiveness of Home Blood Pressure Monitoring, Web Communication, and Pharmacist Care on Hypertension Control

“Abstract
Context: Treating hypertension decreases mortality and disability from cardiovascular disease, but most hypertension remains inadequately controlled.
Objective: To determine if a new model of care that uses patient Web services, home blood pressure (BP) monitoring, and pharmacist-assisted care improves BP control.
Design, Setting, and Participants: A 3-group randomized controlled trial, the Electronic Communications and Home Blood Pressure Monitoring study was based on the Chronic Care Model. The trial was conducted at an integrated group practice in Washington state, enrolling 778 participants aged 25 to 75 years with uncontrolled essential hypertension and Internet access. Care was delivered over a secure patient Web site from June 2005 to December 2007.
Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to usual care, home BP monitoring and secure patient Web site training only, or home BP monitoring and secure patient Web site training plus pharmacist care management delivered through Web communications.
Conclusion: Pharmacist care management delivered through secure patient Web communications improved BP control in patients with hypertension.
Abstract
Beverly B. Green; Andrea J. Cook; James D. Ralston; Paul A. Fishman; Sheryl L. Catz; James Carlson; David Carrell; Lynda Tyll; Eric B. Larson; Robert S. Thompson, JAMA 2008;299(24):2857-2867

Ahead of Google Health and HealthVault: PointOne

“Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault seem to be the leading forces in the market of electronic health records. Now I would like to show you something that can shape the future of healthcare. Robert S. Pothier, the President and CEO of PointOne Systems, answered some of my questions about the RedBox system.”
Article
Bertalan Meskó, ScienceRoll, 13 June 2008

Consumer acceptance of self-monitoring devices

“Interesting to see that consumers recognize the costs that come with (potentially) unnecessary visits to the office to monitor chronic conditions.”
Article
Ted Eytan, 3 June 2008

Telehealth On The Starting Grid

“The European Commission says it is helping develop technologies that could lead to significant advances for both doctors and the patients they treat. One example is the Akogrimo project, which is developing the potential of telemonitoring by developing a grid to bring diagnostic tools out of hospitals and into the field. The results of their work will potentially give paramedics and other mobile response units access to powerful tools previously beyond their grasp.”
Article
Wireless Healthcare, 29 May 2008

Evaware launches new telehealth platform

“Software developer, Evaware has launched a new telehealth device, which wirelessly connects with its Project E-vita web-based electronic patient record, enabling clinicians to remotely monitor the vital signs of their home-based patients.”
Article
e-Health Insider Primary Care, 22 May 2008

ICMCC Event Preview 3

The second part of the Monday also has 2 sessions, each having 2 parallel tracks.

Read the rest of this entry »

Home Monitoring Program Improves Outcomes for Heart Patients

“Remote monitoring can improve the condition of mobile heart failure patients and may reduce hospital readmissions, according to a pilot study that included 150 patients admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.”
Article
Washington Post, 1 May 2008

Continuous Mobile Services for Healthcare: the Case of HealthWear Project

Abstract:
Contemporary advances in information, communication and human-computer interaction technologies prompt the redesign of healthcare provision. A number of disease management strategies, especially those targeting chronic conditions, are to benefit from the application of wearable computing facilities and mobile data access. Programmes supporting home hospitalisation, early discharge or prevention of exacerbations are notable examples. Most of these new approaches to health-care provision imply a revision of current practices and procedures and require systematic collaboration across different levels of care and professionals. This paper reports on the technical and operational characteristics of a service, enabling remote and ubiquitous monitoring of chronic patients based on physiological proxies like heart rate, oxygen saturation, temperature and breathing rate. Measurements are facilitated by the use of smart textiles so that daily activities of the monitored individuals are less perturbed. The service is designed taking into account three different clinical cases: rehabilitation of cardiac patients following an acute event, early discharge of chronic respiratory patients and promotion of physical activity in ambulatory stable cardio-respiratory patients. In the first part of the paper we elaborate on technical aspects of the service namely, technologies used and system architecture. Then we give an account of the service in terms of stakeholders, provisioning, operations and revenue generation.

Christos Malliopoulos^a, Alexis Milsis^b, Theodoros Vavouras^c, Rita Paradiso^d, Albert Alonso^e, Domenico Cianflone^f
a COSMOTE Mobile Telecommunications Greece
^b Sotiria Hospital
^c Atkosoft SA
^d Milior Sp.A,
^e Hospital Clinic de Barcelona
^f Universita San Raffaele

To be presented at the ICMCC Event 2008.

Scottish government funds telecare and IT research

“University of Edinburgh is to receive a share of £4m funding from the Scottish government to research telemetric supported self-monitoring of long-term conditions.
The project is one of four to have received government funding for research programmes over the next five years, aiming to help improve healthcare for patients in Scotland.”
Article
e-Health Insider Primary Care, 21 April 2008

Remote Patient Monitoring

“Readers of Telemedicine and e-Health will remember the published summary of an expert panel discussion on remote health services (2007;13(3):341–347). One clear message emerging from the above roundtable was that fully mature technology is now available to host numerous patient care applications. Just a few years ago remote patient monitoring was regarded as still experimental, albeit with great potential to reduce healthcare costs.
Perhaps the Baby Boom generation, with its take-charge attitude toward health, is most responsible for the field’s explosive growth, particularly in the last five years. There are ready-made audiences for such technology. Baby Boomers are worried not only about their own health but also about keeping their elderly parents safe, healthy, and secure. This is particularly attractive when geographic distances prevent frequent family visits.”
Article
Kevin D. Blanchet, Telemedicine and e-Health, March 1, 2008, 14(2): 127-130, doi:10.1089/tmj.2008.9989

Telethinking With Elizabeth A. Krupinski

“Elizabeth Krupinski, Ph.D., is a Research Professor at the University of Arizona in the departments of radiology and psychology, where she has been since 1992. She is the President-Elect of the American Telemedicine Association. Dr. Krupinski received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and Ph.D. from Temple University, both in experimental psychology. She completed her early training in radiology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her main interests are in medical image perception, assessment of observer performance, and human factors issues. She is Associate Director of evaluation and assessment for the Arizona Telemedicine Program. Dr. Krupinski is an Associate Editor of the Telemedicine and e-Health journal, serves as the Co-editor of the Journal of Telemedicine & Telecare, and is on the editorial board of a number of other journals in radiology. She serves regularly on
review panels for the NIH, DoD, FDA, and TATRC.”
Article
Vicki Glaser, Telemedicine and e-Health, March 1, 2008, 14(2): 117-121, doi:10.1089/tmj.2008.9987.

Market for patient monitoring devices could reach $8 billion by 2012

“Next-generation patient monitoring systems earned an estimated $3.9 billion dollars for manufacturers in 2007, and this market could more than double in five years, according to a market research study released this week.”
Article
Richard Pizzi, Healthcare IT News, 11 April 2008

Berlin University opens telemedicine centre

“The Charité University Hospital, part of Berlin University, has opened a centre for cardiovascular telemedicine that will carry out research and provide services to patients.
It is the first academic telemedicine centre in Germany to support a full 24/7 call-centre service.”
Article
e-Health Europe, 9 April 2008

Intelligent Device Management in the Selfcare Marketplace

Abstract:
Over the last ten years the Internet has emerged as a key infrastructure for service innovation, enabling IP (Internet Protocol) to become the wide area network communication protocol of choice. The natural result of this choice is that service providers and their customers are looking for ways to optimise costs by migrating existing services and applications onto IP as well. A good example is the medical industry, which is transitioning to Internet-based communications as the field of telemedicine broadens to preventative and self healthcare. However, technology is changing quickly and consumers face an array of choices to satisfy their healthcare needs with numerous devices from different vendors. Seamless healthcare device networking can play a major role in automating and safeguarding the process of collecting and transferring medical data, remote patient monitoring and reducing costs through remote equipment monitoring. In this scope, we describe an approach augmenting the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) with healthcare services in order to form a framework for efficient collection and storage of measurements, aiming to address the issues of the lack of a standardised data interface for consumer healthcare technologies (including hardware and protocols) and the lack of a standardised format for self-collected healthcare data (including the storage medium). In this framework, measurements can be seamlessly collected and stored as XML notes located virtually anywhere, such as the user’s home or mobile device. Additionally, these notes can be accessed locally or remotely by doctors and specialists. Also, we discuss how this approach supports user mobility by proxying and redirecting requests to the user’s current location and how it can remove the complexity of using consumer healthcare technologies from different vendors connected to different devices and the opportunities for Independent Software Vendors to develop additional services.

Christos G. Biniaris^a, and Andrew J. Marsh^b
a VMW Solutions Ltd., UK
^b University of Westminster, UK

To be published in “Medical and Care Compunetics 5″, IOSPress, 2008.

ICMCC Event 2008 Program

The preliminary program of the ICMCC event 2008 has been announced.

Data Incompatibility Remains A Barrier to Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Devices Reaching the Mainstream

“The Continua Health Alliance is doing a good job in getting remote patient monitoring (RPM) devices to become plug-n-play — where devices and peripherals from different manufacturers complying with Continua Guidelines will be able to talk to one another.”
Article
Vince Kuratis, e-CareManegement Blog, 4 April 2008

The Transition from ‘Informed Patient’ Care to ‘Patient Informed’ Care

Abstract:
We are in the midst of a real change in the application of information technology to support the delivery of healthcare. We are seeing a shift from the ‘informed patient’ which has resulted from improved access to healthcare information, primarily from the Web, to the ‘participative patient’ as we move into Web 2.0 territory.
The last decade has seen significant strides in the application of healthcare information to support patient care including:

• Increased access to healthcare related information by the patient through access to healthcare information on the Web (1.0).
• The development of electronic patient/health records.
• Improved access to knowledge for care professionals has enabled the dissipation of professional clinical skills with the introduction of nurse practioners and increased use of therapies.
• Improved access to patient related information across disciplines is beginning to enable the shift from acute based to community based care.
• The introduction of home care technologies has enabled self monitoring in supporting self care.
• There are also developments in the way care is provided with an increasing diversity of healthcare providers with the challenges this has presented in exchanging patient related information to support continuity of care.

We are now at another major turning point that could present greater challenges for healthcare professionals, organisations and the patient or client. These developments include:

• The application of information sharing services commonly referred to as Web 2.0. As a result we are seeing a transition from the ‘informed patient’ to the ‘participative patient’ that will present increasing challenges for healthcare professionals and healthcare organisations in adapting care to embrace this evolution.
• New entrants to the ehealth market are now emerging such as Google and Microsoft who are competing to ‘own’ the ‘healthcare consumer’.
• Open source solutions for EPR/EHRs are now emerging that will challenge the traditional mechanisms for delivery of organisational healthcare solutions.
• Technologies that have been growing in use and demand over the past decade are now being applied to healthcare including digital TV and mobile computing.

What then are the challenges for patients, healthcare organisations and information service providers as we move from the passive role of the patient in the provision of their care to a more participative role?

Ruth GARDINER
HealthSystems Consultants Ltd

To be published in “Medical and Care Compunetics 5″, IOSPress, 2008.
To be presented at the ICMCC Event 2008