Specifications for setting up a telemedicine unit

 

The World Health Organisation defines Telemedicine as `` The delivery of health care services, where distance is a critical factor, by all healthcare professionals using information and communication technologies for the exchange of valid information for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease and injuries, research and evaluation, and for the continuing education of healthcare providers, all in the interests of advancing the health of individuals and their communities``.

REQUIRED INFRASTRUCTURE:

An airconditioned, sound-proof room with electrical outlets for connecting various equipments and a very good earthing pit.

Recommendation -

Five 15 amps Sockets for UPS, Five 5 amps socket for other diagnostic equipments, UPS of atleast 3 KVA capacity.

Curtains/Walls preferably light blue or Gray in colour to give good contrast for video conferencing.

VIDEO CONFERENCING HARDWARE:

A television preferably with 29`` screen. Alternatively, if Tele CMEs (Continuing Medical Education) are planned a LCD projection on to a big screen.

A Video conferencing system – These can be

1. Stand-alone codec based system (Recommended)

2. PC based using PC add-on card codec

3. PC based with in-camera codec

4. PC based Web camera and software only codec.

IT HARDWARE:

A computer with Printer and a Scanner (capable of scanning X-ray films also or alternatively a X-Ray Digitiser).

Data such as images and video pictures that are NOT in digital format require to be converted to digital format for transmission. This is done using ``Codec`` units.(short for coder/decoder).

Compression Softwares help transmit large files in shorter time. DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) compression is the recommended standard for transmitting medical images.

CONNECTIVITY HARDWARE:

Can be either terrestrial or Satellite based.

Terrestrial Communication can be through Analog Modems, DSL modems, ISDN & Broadband.

Satellite Communication is usually through VSATs (Very Small Aperture Terminals). Provides much better image transfer quality than terrestrial mode of communication as well as instantaneous global coverage.

MEDICAL HARDWARE:

Various Instrumentation that can be connected to the video-conferencing unit to directly relay data from the patient are,

Digital 12 lead ECG, Electronic stethescope, Digital Microscope, Digital Blood Pressure Monitor, Skin camera, Doppler Ultrasound and Echocardiography equipment etc.

Stored Images such as X-rays, Ultrasound images, CT/MRI images or pathology slide images can be scanned in to a computer and transmitted. Moving video images of echocardiography can be transmitted by connecting the video player/DVD player to the video-conferencing system.