Here I would like to add a supplementary case to further illustrate the application of telemedicine in patient transportation. In this case, not only we see how telemedicine could improve patient care, but also the business implications, especially for telecommunication devices companies.
At Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), sophisticated telecommunication devices have been installed on the ambulances. This idea was originated by Dr. Hamilton Schwartz at CCHMC from the use of webcams to talk to his family1.
In order to allow his critical care transport teams to provide quality care from the pick-up site to the hospital room, Dr. Schwartz chose GlobalMedia to design and develop an in-transit mobile telemedicine solution called Transport AV Telemedicine System2. This system combined the TotalExam camera, a high-resolution handheld video camera, with a digital stethoscope, microphone and headset2. It is then connected to the Internet via 3G, 4G, or 802.11 networks2.
Using this system, the critical care team would be able to transmit real-time patient data through live video and freeze-frame images from the ambulances to the doctors at CCHMC2.
What’s better was that the Transport AV system not only is used inside the ambulance, but also is able to travel with the patients by attaching to the gurney in the ambulance. It allows uninterrupted communication between care givers on-site with patients and doctors in CCHMC to give continuous monitoring and care delivery2. In addition to prepare and set up necessary operation rooms, the Transport AV system also enable hospital administrators to register for the patients before their arrival, saving critical time for treatment2.
This case is a great example how telecommunication providers and device manufacturers could work together to provide state-of-the-art health services to patients. Frequent conversations and interactions between patients, doctors, and care givers and telemedicine technology and service companies is an efficient way to design and develop customized telemedicine products and solutions.
The following is the picture of TotalExam from GlobalMedia
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