USES OF TELEMEDICINE

USES OF TELEMEDICINE

1. Health care services in remote area by experts directly or by on line data base; It offers almost instant access to medical aids. The continuity of care could be maintained with telemedicine in remote areas
2. Patient management in terms of investigation, diagnosis and treatment for example by telecardiology, telepathology, teleradiology, etc. The images and/or records could be transmitted for this purpose.
3. Medical education – teaching using real time patient for a medical education purpose and teleconference for continuing education.

Thus by telehealth technologies, successful relation could be established between rural hospitals and higher equipped centers.

The specific application of telemedicine include:

1. Electronic management and transport of patient informations and records for diagnostic purposes via teleconsultation and video conferencing.
2. Image compression for efficient storage and retrieval of image data. Example- in telepathology the digitalized picture taken with the help of telecamera can be transferred from one place to a pathologist at distance, where the static images of slides can be stored in some format and the pathologist at distance can retrieve the image data when required.
3. The image processing for diagnostic purpose.  Example- ECG monitoring by telecardiology technique. Here the community hospitals are linked by modem with telecardiology laboratory. This link allows the ECG strips to be transmitted electronically in their laboratory for interpretation. The other example, where the pathological images are transferred at distant telepathology lab and the pathologist would be able to control the microscope, alter the magnification, auto focus or steer the microscope table similar to conventional slide reading.
4. Electronic processing of health and medical claims.
5. Electronic inventory to support community health care organizations.
6. Teleconference for professional training, education and consultation.
7. Digital transmission of 2D or 3D medical images e.g. echo cardiographic images or MRI/CT images could be transmitted at distant telecardiology or teleradiology laboratory.
8. Computerized control of medical equipment’s, e.g. control over surgical robot.