Current Issue : April - June Volume : 2012 Issue Number : 2 Articles : 4 Articles
Multiprotocol medical imaging communication through the Internet is more flexible than the tight DICOM transfers. This paper\r\nintroduces a modular multiprotocol teleradiology architecture that integrates DICOM and common Internet services (based on\r\nweb, FTP, and E-mail) into a unique operational domain. The extendedWADO service (a web extension of DICOM) and the other\r\nproposed services allow access to all levels of the DICOM information hierarchy as opposed to solely Object level. A lightweight\r\nclient site is considered adequate, because the server site of the architecture provides clients with service interfaces through the\r\nweb as well as invulnerable space for temporary storage, called as User Domains, so that users fulfill their applications� tasks. The\r\nproposed teleradiology architecture is pilot implemented using mainly Java-based technologies and is evaluated by engineers in\r\ncollaboration with doctors. The new architecture ensures flexibility in access, user mobility, and enhanced data security....
Background. Hospitalization accounts for 70% of heart failure (HF) costs; readmission rates at 30 days are 24% and rise to 50% by\r\n90 days. Agencies anticipate that telehomecare will provide the close monitoring necessary to prevent HF readmissions. Methods\r\nand Results. Randomized controlled trial to compare a telehomecare intervention for patients 55 and older following hospital\r\ndischarge for HF to usual skilled home care. Primary endpoints were 30- and 60-day all-cause and HF readmission, hospital days,\r\nand time to readmission or death. Secondary outcomes were access to care, emergency department (ED) use, and satisfaction with\r\ncare. All-cause readmissions at 30 days (16% versus 19%) and over six months (46% versus 52%) were lower in the telehomecare\r\ngroup but were not statistically significant. Access to care and satisfaction were significantly higher for the telehomecare patients,\r\nincluding the number of in-person visits and days in home care. Conclusions. Patient acceptance of the technology and current\r\nhome care policies and processes of care were barriers to gaining clinical effectiveness and efficiency....
The overall aim of this project was to ascertain the utilization of a custom-designed telemedicine service for patients to maintain\r\nclose contact (via videoconference) with family and friends during hospitalization. We conducted a retrospective chart review\r\nof hospitalized patients (primarily children) with extended hospital length of stays. Telecommunication equipment was used\r\nto provide videoconference links from the patientââ?¬â?¢s bedside to friends and family in the community. Thirty-six cases were\r\nmanaged during a five-year period (2006 to 2010). The most common reasons for using Family-Link were related to the logistical\r\nchallenges of traveling to and from the hospitalââ?¬â?principally due to distance, time, family commitments, and/or personal cost.We\r\nconclude that videoconferencing provides a solution to some barriers that may limit family presence and participation in care for\r\nhospitalized patients, and as a patient-centered innovation is likely to enhance patient and family satisfaction....
An assessment of a sensor designed for monitoring energy expenditure, activity, and sleep was conducted in the context of\r\na research project which develops a weight management application. The overall goal of this project is to affect sustainable\r\nbehavioural change with respect to diet and exercise in order to improve health and wellbeing. This paper reports results of a\r\npretrial in which three volunteers wore the sensor for a total of 11 days. The aim was to gain experience with the sensor and\r\ndetermine if it would be suitable for incorporation into the ICT system developed by the project to be trialled later on a larger\r\npopulation. In this paper we focus mainly on activity monitoring and user experience. Data and results including visualizations and\r\nreports are presented and discussed. User experience proved positive inmost respects. Exercise levels and sleep patterns correspond\r\nto user logs relating to exercise sessions and sleep patterns. Issues raised relate to accuracy, one source of possible interference, the\r\ndesirability of enhancing the system with real-time data transmission, and analysis to enable real-time feedback. It is argued that\r\nautomatic activity classification is needed to properly analyse and interpret physical activity data captured by accelerometry....
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