Telemedicine
... The first project with this technology was called the STARPAC (Space Technology Applied to Rural Papago Advanced Health Care). This project provided health care services to astronauts in space and also to the Papago Indian reservations through portable satellite units. Through this method people in distant locations were able to get medical care and attention. In the development stages of telemedicine the transfer rate for information was not very high and therefore not a lot of information could be sent either way. Depending on the systems bandwidth it would determine how fast and clear the receivers obtain the information, since most telecommunication is done through audio and visual teleconferencing. Also different telemedicine applications require different softwares. For example, a radiologist would require different software than a physician or therapist. Some require more sophisticated and complex software while others require less complicated applications. Second Generation Telemedicine In the second generation of telemedicine, most of the problems have been solved from the first generation with the availability of new modern software and hardware to make telemedicine more easily available and suitable to everyone. They have high-quality, full-motion, full-colour video and audio equipment and software. Telemedicine has also improved because of the better planning and public’s awareness of this matter. They are helping to improve a new era of health care management and delivery of this service. Patients have also been staying for shorter periods of time in hospitals because patients are able to get the help they need from telephone counseling, which lead to the creation of telecare centers. Many patients and people use this type of medical care because of its ease of use and convenience. With the development of the Internet, telemedicine has been improving more and more. Over the Internet a patient and doctor can speak to one another without actually meeting face-to-face. They can discuss the patient’s symptoms and medical history over the Internet and then prescribe medicine after the patient has completed a questionnaire and gone through an on-line meeting with the doctor. However, there are also problems associated with this. Since the doctor never physically examines the patient, the medicine prescribed could be for a drug addict covering up their needle-tracks. This is an example of how the Internet can be misused. Nevertheless the Internet can also be used for as a server, where people can find out information about diseases or anything else in the health care profession. The Internet is an effective tool in telemedicine when used wisely. It is great for finding out information and not so great for cybermedicine From the first generation to the second there have been more advances in telemedicine. Telecommunications is being used in many medical professions such as dermatology, pathology, radiology and psychiatry. Although these are only in the beginning stages or development, it is improving quickly and will soon be used in the future because of its easy accessibility. Health Care Procedures, Process Possible Tele-Health Application Home visits unassisted by technology Laptop or portable computers with modem to communicate with physician or health care institution Physical transfer of medical images for specialists opinion on radiographs, ultrasounds, computed tomography scans, pathology slides Electronic transfer of images to specialists via any number of networks; comparison of images against banks of stored electronic slides and images for comparison Home care, elder care Telemonitoring from the home, assisted devices and technologies Telephone-based or face-to-face consultations between specialists and general practitioners Videoconferencing, IATV, Computer-based e-mail Physician transfer of medical images for specialist opinion on radiographs, ultrasound, computed tomography scans, pathology slides Electronic transfer of images to specialists via any number of networks; comparison of images against banks of stored electronic slides and image comparison Hand-written, paper-based patient files and charts Palm-top pen-based computer tablets, desktop workstations, computerized patient records Hand-written, paper-based prescriptions Electronic ordering of the prescription using a CHIN, HIN or pharmnet Referrals from general practitioner Appointments by e-mail, by electronic scheduling from general prac...