Title: Applications of Telemedicine and Telecommunications to Disaster Medicine: Historical and Future Perspectives
1Applications of Telemedicine and
Telecommunications to Disaster MedicineHistorica
l and Future Perspectives
- Victoria Garshnek and Frederick M. Burkle
- Presented by Michele Romano
2What is Telemedicine?
- the use of electronic information and
communications technologies to provide and
support health care when distance separates the
participants - Institute of Medicine
- Telemedicine A Guide to Assessing
- Telecommunications in Health Care
3Telemedicine Encompasses
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Monitoring
- Expert advice
- Patient
- information
- Education of patients
4What is in this paper?
- Review of the history of telemedicine
- Issues that must be addressed
- Future improvements
5History 1985
- Earthquake in Mexico City
- NASA used their ATS-3 satellite to provide
critical voice communication
6History 1988
- Armenian earthquake
- Space Bridge project Intelsat and Comsat
satellite communication - Data and fax lines provided additional bandwidth
- Remote medical consultation
- 209 patients care was augmented
7History 1990
- Hurricane Hugo Virgin Islands
- MASH used CT scanner, digitizer and INMARSAT
- Deployable teleradiology
8History 1992 - 1996
Gulf War Difficult geographic and climatological conditions
Somalia Low bandwidth to send high resolution images
Haiti 56 Kbps -gt T1/VSAT
Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia Reported problems with telemedicine equipment and with the training
9History Overview
10Challenges
- Communication Pathway selection
- Bandwidth limited
- Environmental conditions
- Power interruptions
- Training
11Communication Information Pathways
- Direct (land) lines
- Metallic twisted pairs
- Fiber
- Wireless transmissions
- Radio
- satellite
12Communication Tools
- The Internet
- Virtual Reality
- Computer miniaturization
- Advanced Sensors and Medical Monitoring
131. The Internet
- GHNet / GHDNet
- Relief Web
- Virtual Information Center (VIC)
- Rapid Health Assessment Module
142. Virtual Reality
- Virtual environments are used to train medics for
disaster medicine - MediSim trainer
MediSim Trainer picture from http//www.cis.upenn
.edu/hms/medisim/medisim.html
Simulator picture from http//www.meti.com/univer
sity.html
153. Computer Miniaturization
Picture from http//www.eecs.harvard.edu/mdw/pro
j/vitaldust/
Picture from http//www.praecogito.com/brudy/wea
rable.html
164. Advanced Sensors and Medical Monitoring
- US military developing advanced sensors and smart
materials - Personnel Status Monitor (PSM)
- Life Support for Trauma and Transport
- Sensate liner
- Mobile Medical Monitor (M3)
17Conclusion
- Telemedicine can be used in a variety of disaster
situations. - Advances in communications led to improvements in
telemedicine. - Simulations and training is ongoing in this area.
18References
- http//telemed.medicine.uiowa.edu/TRCDocs/slides/i
ntro_telemed/sld011.htm - http//tie.telemed.org/links/applications.asp62