Telemedicine

 

ICT in Telemedicine

Today, there are numerous high tech machines which help us in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Diseases can be diagnosed at the early stages and the patients can be given treatment accordingly. Some examples of these machines are: 

Example 1 - CAT - Computerized Axial Tomography Machine 

Using this machine three dimensional (3D) images of different parts of the body can be made. These images are helpful in the diagnosis of diseases.

Example 2 - MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Machine)

 This machine can create digitalized images of internal organs of the body by using strong magnetic fields and radio waves. These images are very helpful in the detection and deciding on treatment of diseases.

 Example 3 - ECG - Electrocardiogram Machine

 This machine is used to monitor the heart beat. When the heart pumps blood to different parts of the body some electrical impulses are produced. This machine records the electrical impulses.

 Example 4 - Cardiac Screening Machine 

This machine displays the physiology of the heart and it displays the movements inside the heart. Through this machine it is possible to diagnose problems of the heart such as thinning of vains and then recommend treatment.

 Example 5 - EEG (Electro-encephalography) 

This machine is used to record the activities of the brain. The small electrical probes attached to the head receive the electrical impulses of the brain and display them on a computer screen. This device can retrieve the data in both states where a patient is awake or asleep.

 Example 6 - Blood Sugar Testing Machine 

This device would analyze a sample of blood and determine the blood glucose level. 

Example 7 - Blood Pressure Measuring Machine 

This device which is worn as wrist band can measure the blood pressure of a person at rest and when he/she is involved in some physical activity.

The use of Information Communication Technology to examine and or provide healthcare to a patient who is far away from the hospital is called Telemedicine. This is made possible by remotely connecting the patient with hospital’s specialist unit or specialist doctors. Telemedicine has several advantages such as:

1 - Emergency Telemedicine

Emergency telemedicine is the process of providing emergency care by a trained person in consultation with a specialist in a hospital via telecommunication network and treating him when a patient (who lives in a remote village or flying in a plane or cruising in a ship) can not reach a hospital

2 - Home health medicine

Keeping the patient at home and monitoring his/her condition using networked home monitoring system. The home monitoring of the health condition helps to decide when to transfer the patient to hospital.

 

3 - Medical Teletraining 

Specialists’ consultation and training can be used to obtain the services of a medical professional at a remote place by the use of telecommunication technologies.

4 - Telemedicine Consultation

Seeking medical consultation of a specialist at the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) when he/she is not physically available at site.

5 - Telesurgery (Remote Surgery)

Remote surgery is the ability of a doctor to perform surgery on a patient in consultation with a specialist (who is not physically present at the same location but in a far away town or abroad) by the use of Telecommunication Technologies.