Point of Care Healthcare Quality Control for Patients Using Mobile Devices

The advances made in the domain of mobile telecommunications over the last decade offer great potential for developments in many areas. One such area that can benefit from mobile communications is telemedicine, which is the provision of medical assistance, in one form or another, to patients who are geographically separated from the healthcare provider. When a person is ill, individual attention from medical professionals is of the utmost importance until they have returned to full health. However, people who suffer with long term and chronic illnesses may need life long care and often must manage their condition at home. Many chronically ill patients manage their condition themselves and perform ‘self-testing’ with Point of Care Test (POCT) equipment as part of this condition management. When a specimen sample is analysed at home with a POCT device, a result is available to the patient almost immediately, but the result cannot be proven to be plausible for the patient unless it is validated by the hospital systems. In addition to this the hospital is unaware of the patients condition and progress between hospital visits. This research addresses some of the issues and problems that fact patients who use POCT equipment to ‘self-manage’ their condition at home. Using mobile phone technologies and the Java platform, three alternative methods for providing patients with a service of POCT result validation and storage was designed. The implementation and test of these systems, proves that a mobile phone solution to the issues associated with patient self-testing is possible and can greatly contribute to the quality of patient care

HOPE, an open platform for medical data management on the grid

International audienc

The Promise of Health Information Technology: Ensuring that Florida's Children Benefit

Substantial policy interest in supporting the adoption of Health Information Technology (HIT) by the public and private sectors over the last 5 -- 7 years, was spurred in particular by the release of multiple Institute of Medicine reports documenting the widespread occurrence of medical errors and poor quality of care (Institute of Medicine, 1999 & 2001). However, efforts to focus on issues unique to children's health have been left out of many of initiatives. The purpose of this report is to identify strategies that can be taken by public and private entities to promote the use of HIT among providers who serve children in Florida

Development of a 3G Authentication Based Mobile Access of Health Records: A Mobile Telemedicine Application

As our country progresses in its aim to be a developed country by the Year 2020, the field of Information and Communications Technology or ICT is fast becoming the forerunner for the vision. The Internet is used in almost all aspects of life. As for the communications sector, according to Global Mobile Subscriber Database December 2002 report, there are 8,814,700 mobile subscribers in Malaysia with an Annual Growth of 16.6%. Withthe adoption of 3G-communication technology in the coming years, compelling high speed services, reaching up to 2 Mb/s together with improved security features would soon be possible. Through these years in the mobile industry, the health sector has always been neglected. Reason being, the technology could not support the application and it is not so much of a revenue generating business compared to mobile games or sports news. With globalization where the society is always on the move across borders, together with degrading environment conditions and the need for time, instant health services are becoming crucial. Looking into these conditions of mobile adoption and health status, the author intends to develop a solution for a mobile telemedicine application. Kevin Hung (2003) defines telemedicine as the utilization of telecommunication technology for medical diagnosis, treatment and patient care. Thus, the main aim of this project was to develop an application that could be used for medical purposes. This project integrates the latest mobile telecommunication technologies together with medical services with the idea of providing a highly secured personalize medical system and database query as mobile handsets are becoming a necessity to individuals. This would make updating and retrieving medical health records hassle free, anytime and anywhere. This project has also laid the groundwork for future expansion by incorporating the basic audio and video streaming features. This report accounts for all the concepts, design works and results of the mobile telemedicine application that has been developed successfully

On the Use of XML in Medical Imaging Web-Based Applications

The rapid growth of digital technology in medical fields over recent years has increased the need for applications able to manage patient medical records, imaging data, and chart information. Web-based applications are implemented with the purpose to link digital databases, storage and transmission protocols, management of large volumes of data and security concepts, allowing the possibility to read, analyze, and even diagnose remotely from the medical center where the information was acquired. The objective of this paper is to analyze the use of the Extensible Markup Language (XML) language in web-based applications that aid in diagnosis or treatment of patients, considering how this protocol allows indexing and exchanging the huge amount of information associated with each medical case. The purpose of this paper is to point out the main advantages and drawbacks of the XML technology in order to provide key ideas for future web-based applicationsPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Application of Multiprotocol Medical Imaging Communications and an Extended DICOM WADO Service in a Teleradiology Architecture

Multiprotocol medical imaging communication through the Internet is more flexible than the tight DICOM transfers. This paper introduces a modular multiprotocol teleradiology architecture that integrates DICOM and common Internet services (based on web, FTP, and E-mail) into a unique operational domain. The extended WADO service (a web extension of DICOM) and the other proposed services allow access to all levels of the DICOM information hierarchy as opposed to solely Object level. A lightweight client site is considered adequate, because the server site of the architecture provides clients with service interfaces through the web as well as invulnerable space for temporary storage, called as User Domains, so that users fulfill their applications' tasks. The proposed teleradiology architecture is pilot implemented using mainly Java-based technologies and is evaluated by engineers in collaboration with doctors. The new architecture ensures flexibility in access, user mobility, and enhanced data security

eHealth Conversations : using information management, dialogue, and knowledge exchange to move toward universal

The publication of eHealth Conversations, developed with the support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), represents a major step forward for the PAHO/WHO Strategy, since it explores ways of implementing regional mechanisms with free and equitable access to information and knowledge sharing. These initiatives aim to advance the goals of more informed, equitable, competitive, and democratic societies, where access to health information is considered a basic right. This publication is one of the instruments used by PAHO/WHO to develop the initiatives outlined in the Strategy, which coincides with the global eHealth strategy. One of the fundamental needs for the improvement of eHealth is the dissemination of information, and PAHO/WHO is assuming a leading role in this effort. The development of this new electronic publication is a key step in disseminating information that will be useful for decision makers on applying these technologies for the health of the Americas. This electronic book is one of the products of PAHO/WHO’s project: “eHealth Conversations: Using Information Management, Dialogue, and Knowledge Exchange to Move Toward Universal Access to Health.” Participants in these conversations included experts on electronic health and other specialties. Through virtual dialogues, the experts contributed with knowledge and reflections on the present and the future of eHealth in the Americas, analyzed the situation, and made recommendations for the implementation of electronic health initiatives. These recommendations are not only intended for PAHO/ WHO, but also for governments and the private sector. The aim of the project is to guarantee the convergence of local, national, and regional initiatives regarding the adoption and application of ICTs for public health, with special attention on critical issues in this field. It also intends to strengthen individual and collective capacities of health workers and institutions, connecting them in a network of on-line health networks, as well as to reinforce the PAHO/WHO eHealth program.Acknowledge the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) for its financial support in preparing this publication and developing the project titled “eHealth Conversations: Using Information Management, Dialogue, and Knowledge Exchange to Move Toward Universal Access to Health;