Telemedicine Services - OTRI
Telemedicine Services - OTRI
From HTN
| Project Information | |
|---|---|
| Category | Healthcare |
| Year | 2005 |
| Type | Telemedicine Services |
| Target Beneficiaries | Patients of rural areas, remote areas, high-risk zone, natural calamity like flood, earthquake affected areas |
| Technology | Data compression and videoconferencing |
| Organisation | Online Telemedicine Research Institute (OTRI) |
Contents |
Introduction
It is a totally indigenous integrated Telemedicine Solution developed by Online Telemedicine Research Institute (OTRI).
About OTRI
Online Telemedicine Research Institute (OTRI) is an organization with a mission of connecting remote and rural areas with major hospitals through International Telemedicine initiatives. It has earned a respectable position as a pioneer of Telemedicine and novelty in Telemedicine Integrated Solutions since the last 18 years in India through its innovations and implementations. OTRI has opened up the development of customized telemedicine software and hardware solutions. The result is a patient oriented and affordable system. It is the first and only organization in the world to provide integrated telemedicine solutions till date. Today, OTRI has become a major Telemedicine Technology Provider and is in collaboration with prestigious industry names. It provides multidimensional facilities and services right from strategic planning and operational tactics to user training based on research programs. OTRI is engaged in the manufacturing and implementation of Medical Technology products. OTRI is promoted by a team of dedicated software professionals. They have innovated over 50 products related to Telemedicine so far. OTRI is extensively involved in the implementation of various Telemedicine projects in India and South East Asia. The aim of OTRI is to cater to public health activities, Tele Health Education and increase awareness about Telemedicine in urban and rural areas. OTRI helps deliver modern healthcare services in remote or rural areas where basic necessities like electricity may not be available, without investment in expensive medical facilities in those regions.
Objective / Goals
The effectiveness of telemedicine can best be seen in Disaster Management. It is need of the time to manage healthcare during natural calamities like floods, earthquake, cyclones, tsunamis etc. where many people need healthcare services and from too few doctors. Telemedicine augments healthcare by providing the services from as many doctors as needed from all over the world. Telemedicine is the only option during such situations. Remote hilly regions, big public gatherings, large congregations, religious fairs of long duration, ceremonies or activities like the Maha Kumbh Mela etc. are classic examples where telemedicine services are almost obligatory. Telemedicine helps doctors and medical institutes better their prospects and image. Telemedicine is of immense help in retaining client base for doctors and hospitals by transmitting their services to remote areas where going physically may not be possible. This last modality of business improvement attracts financial institutions to enter the field of healthcare.
Technology Description
Most of the telemedicine applications in use today are made up of two different kinds of technology. The first is called 'store and forward'. It is used to transfer digital images from one location to another. A digital image is captured by a digital camera (stored) and then sent (forwarded) to another location. This is used for non critical situations where a diagnosis or consultation may be made in the next 24 to 48 hours and sent back. Data and images may be transferred from any part of the world to any location anywhere in the world provided the two locations are connected via any telecommunications medium, inter alia telephone, radio, television, internet. Radiology and Pathology images are the most commonly sent images in non-critical cases. The other situation where telemedicine has evolved into an important service is ‘Two Way Interactive Television’. It is used when a real-time consultation is necessary. It is usually between the patient and his/her healthcare provider at one end and the specialist(s) or researcher(s) at the other end. This face-to-face consultation is possible only through a videoconferencing facility. The necessary condition for this system to work effectively is that the equipments must be functional at both ends. The Information Technology Management involves transmitting centres that are equipped with computers and other IT equipements. Modem and other medical devices can be based at a public hospital or in any small health clinic or even in tents or mobile vans. All types of medical data can be transmitted, viz., images, case history. The system can be integrated with a variety of medical equipments and devices, hence covering many processes under medical treatment of patients, e.g., Sonography Machine, Microscope, 12 Lead ECG Machine, Pulmonary Function Test machine, Glucometer, Portable X-Ray Machine, Fetal Heart Monitor, Blood Pressure Monitoring Unit, Digital Ophthalmoscope, Electronic Stethoscope, Pulse Oxymeter, High Resolution X-Ray film scanner and Digitizer, Remote Controlled Auto Focus High Resolution Camera etc. The high tech integrated Telemedicine Solution incorporates acoustic coupler and analog to digital conversion and transmission system. The beauty of this technique is that it does not necessarily require broadband connectivity. It can work on a simple telephone line, ISDN line or a satellite phone. This is possible because of new and improved data compression techniques. Telemedicine Conferencing System contains Medical Data Processing Unit (MDPU), Medical Video and Image Processing Unit (MIPU), Remote Medical Image Switching Unit, Display Units and Pen Keyboards for MDPU and MIPU, Medical Image Capture Device apart from Micro Phone, Speaker Set, Desk Top Modem, Event Recorder, ECG Phone, Telemedicine Table, Power Distribution Board and a customized compatible Telemedicine. Recently a Mobile 100 mA Digital X-Ray machine has also been incorporated with direct connectivity to Telemedicine system. It does not require any X-ray plate or developing process. It directly stores images in DICOM file format.
Video Conferencing
Telemedicine solution uses videoconferencing technology to diagnose disease and provide medical treatment in remote and rural areas where healthcare is not readily available. The fusion of videoconferencing technology and medical diagnostic systems has created opportunities for using sophisticated means for diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Videoconferencing in telemedicine systems allows for fast transfer of X-rays, MRI images and patient medical history, which assists in further patient care. Also, the facilities of a technologically advanced medical centre can be made effectively accessible to doctors in remote areas. The ability for videoconferencing solutions to deliver high-quality video images to far-flung medical specialists has proven valuable and viable. By using videoconferencing products, doctors can share information that would be difficult to obtain otherwise. This type of work requires excellent video clarity. This system enables hospitals communicate with specialized doctors around the world.
Implementation
Telemedicine is utilized by health providers in a growing number of medical specialties. Hence it has a large groups and beneficiaries. NGOs, Trusts, Central and State Government Health Services, Rural Development Boards, Armed Forces and Space Application Centres form a part of this concept of beneficiaries. Any organization, Government, Semi Government, Private or a Trust, while working for healthcare in rural or remote area, can benefit from telemedicine. In fact the cost effectiveness and instant response of telemedicine has made the concept obligatory for any institution devoted to public health.
Results
The various types of products offered by OTRI include Telemed Mobile Van, Telemed-3000 (a Dicom 3.0 & HL7 International Standard compatible Hospital based Total Telemedicine System with the features of PAC System, Broadcasting & Tele Education), Medicon-9000 (a Video conferencing Based User friendly Telemedicine System), Medicon-6000 (a multipoint Video Conferencing telemedicine based upon simultaneous four-screen Conferencing, centrally controlled by server), Disamed-2000 (a Disaster Management Telemedicine System), Teleuro-2000 (a Telemedicine System for Urology), Telecardio 3000 (a Patient based Tele-cardiology system), Telepatho 3000 (a Patient based Tele-pathology System), Teleradio 3000 (a Patient based Tele-radiology system), Teleopthlmology (a Patient based Tele-ophthalmology System). OTIR has completed many Telemedicine related Projects. Some of them are: Jivan Nirmaya Pradarshan (for Govt. of India), Indian Defense Services Telemedicine Projects (for Indian Army and Indian Air Force), Kailas Mansarovar Yatra and Pithoragadh Project (as Hill Telemedicine Projects), Maha Kumbh Mela (for Ministry of Information Technology, Govt. of India), Gujarat Earthquake Telemedicine Projects (as Disaster Management Telemedicine projects), Sushila forest Hospital, Haldawani Projects (under Rural Telemedicine Projects category). They have also completed some Education & Research Oriented Projects, viz., Epidemiological Surveillance through Telemedicine, Preventive Measurement and Diagnosis in the field of Epidemiology, Role of a Tertiary Cardiac Care Center in Clinical Decision Making by using ECG Monitoring through a telephone line. The above list of projects shows the diversity of application of telemedicine system.
External Links
Last Updated : Anilkroy 19:45, 25 May 2009 (UTC)