E-Health: Patient Monitoring Using Telemedicine - Example

Heading: Telemedicine Your name: Course name: Professors’ name: Date Title E-health: patient monitoring using telemedicine. Keywords Telemedicine, patients, healthcare, technology. Problem definition The world, today, is experiencing problems of ineffective sharing of knowledge and delivery of medical services to patients. In many incidences, there is adequate availability of doctors and medicine facilities to serve populations. Nevertheless, the problem arises when these populations cannot access health providers and medical facilities, such as, drugs. In other cases, like in the United Kingdom, there are populations that are unreachable, especially now that they are fast growing. Consequently, the medical faculties and staff are insufficient to reach out to these groups. This project proposal is motivated by these issues, and the need to effectively serve all populations, so as to reduce admission and death rates. Global aim The development of telemedicine system is vital to the whole world. Globally, the system will aim at improving sharing of medical expertise and knowledge, as well as enhancing the effective delivery of healthcare services to all. The system’s development will also be aimed at enabling health care providers to efficiently handle emergency cases through the use of modern technology. Further, its completion will help the world to manage and minimize the death cases that result from diseases, such as, diabetes, hypertension and strokes, regardless of the patients’ location. Global aim broken down into WBS Objectives detailing plans and controls To develop a mobile-based telemedicine system that can serve both rural and urban populations in the delivery of health care services without any involvement of movement of the medical personnel. The project details will entail a dual system; with two base units. One of the units will be portable, and will be situated at the patients’ location, whereas the other one will be based at a hospital (Gabe & Calnan 2009, p. 145). To enhance the delivery of health care services to the remote places and those away from the city. This is because there has been a great problem in doing this, and has resulted in many deaths that could have been prevented. To ensure that telemedicine system can capture patient data by employing cell-phones or lap-tops through LAN wireless technology, and pilot project, and distribute the acquired information to particular medical hospitals. To ensure that this technology utilizes UK’s marginalized areas resources through equitable service delivery to all. Evidence of requirement This e-health system is essential because there are numerous problems that people are facing in the world in relation to the ineffective handling of emergency health issues; poor delivery of medical services to people living in remote areas; and poor sharing of medical expertise and services in the world (Latifi 2008, pp. 24-30). In addition, there are many areas in the world that do not have access to qualified medical personnel. These areas always rely on paramedical staff or nurse practitioners who cannot make life-changing decisions in tough situations. Therefore, these areas will certainly benefit from the successful implementation of the system. Limited transportation also calls for the system so as to attend to patients in inaccessible areas. Furthermore, Latifi (2008, pp. 24-30) maintains that there is a need for medical specialists in the world, especially in remote areas. In cases where specialties are required, the use of the proposed system will be highly indispensable. This implies that a medical practitioner can contact an expert on a certain medical field to give advice on a given problem without going all the way to where they are based. What is more, Hersh & Hickam (2006, pp. 3-31) note that the need for the implementation of this project is evidenced by inaccessibility to modern medical information. There are times when a particular physician wants to share his findings with others who are unfamiliar with certain rare medical conditions. For instance, in most parts of the Middle East, several practitioners have inadequate knowledge on these conditions, continuous Medical Education (CME), or modern medical libraries. Such situations, therefore, call for the use of the proposed health care system. General Context description The proposed project concerns the development of an e-health system that is intended to improve health service delivery, sharing and acquisition of information and expertise, as well handling of emergency and critical medical cases in various parts of the world, especially remote areas (Fleisher & Dechene, 2004, pp. 1-5). The Mobile Telemedicine System comprises of different relations with the Multi Communication Links; hence, making it one of the best technologies that provide immediate and reliable solutions to medical issues facing the UK health sector, and the world at large. The system can be upgraded into an integrated system for diseases management (Lakhani 2010, p. 1). The project is likely to offer individuals many benefits that cannot be overlooked by the government, and must take the initiative of placing its sustainability as a top priority in the development and healthcare plan. Proposed Research methods explaining choices In order to achieve the end objectives of this project, the employment of certain research methods is highly indispensable. The research team needs to come up with various data collection methods and instruments so as to effectively achieve its aim and objectives. The project will employ quantitative research method that entails observations, case studies, interviews, questionnaires, surveys, information systems, and secondary data, such as, books and online articles. Interviews entail face-to-face conversations between the researchers and the respondents. This will be fruitful because the research team will acquire fast hand information. Surveys are also suitable because it will produce adequate information on the issue under study. Case studies are suitable in attainment of reliable information because it involves a study of an individual or group. Observations will enable the research team to get first-hand and appropriate information of the study. In addition, the use of secondary data is also vital in the attainment of already studied cases that facilitate comparison with primary information. Notably, some of the participants employed in the study include medical doctors, patients, and patients’ family members. These individuals will be selected as study respondents because they are the key figures in any health sector. Health providers will apply the technology in the administration of medication and management of patients, while patients will be the recipients of the medical services through telemedicine. To realize reliable results that enhance achievement of the set objectives, the team will also ensure that the participants are balanced in terms of age, gender, and socioeconomic status. In terms of the ethical issues, the team will not force anyone to participate in the study. Moreover, all the responses will be kept confidential, while the respondents are kept anonymous. Brief product description Telemedicine is defined as the act of sharing medical knowledge and delivering health care to a distance base via electronic means such as mobile phone service. It allows for the exchange of medical reports and information so as to enhance medical practice and health care in the community. This system is designed to provide expertise medical attention so as to provide emergency care services using the modern technology (Fleisher & Dechene, 2004, pp. 1-5). Telemedicine has been found to be the most effective means of administering treatment to patients. This is because it has been evaluated to have patient care and also reduced hospital admissions by at least 40%. It has been described as the future of UK’s healthcare industry (Bellazzi 2009, pp.175-187). Deliverables; what will be produced? Upon the development of this project, there are certain expected products. The Telemedicine system will be produced to ease and promote healthcare services, not only in the UK, but also in other parts of the world. Mobile phones and computers will be produced so as to help in communication of medical information among various medical experts and patients. Thus, the project will produce excellent results that essential in the contemporary world in order to promote healthcare service delivery, and access to modern knowledge and information. How will the Outcome/product be tested? The outcome of the project will be evaluated by the system performance in the healthcare sector. This will entail interoperability, applied technology, and the equipment’s reliability. Moreover, evaluation will be done on the basis of the accuracy of the diagnoses carried out by various medical practitioners in different areas. Positive progress of patients diagnosed and treated through the system will also indicate the success and effectiveness of e-health system. Moreover, the success of the Telemedicine System will be tested by interviewing the practitioners on the system’s effectiveness and reliability in the process of medical services to the public. What is more, patients’ opinions on the system will also be highly recommended in the evaluation of the product. Resources Magazines on healthcare Lakhani, N 2010, Britain lags behind in the telemedicine revolution. Independent Magazine. Retrieved on 14/01/2012 From. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/britain-lags-behind-in-the-telemedicine-revolution-2158120.html Medical journals from Cochrane databases Bellazzi, R 2009, ‘Web-based telemedicine systems for home-care’, Journal of technical issues and experiences Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, vol.64, no.3, p.175-187. Hersh, W & Hickam, D 2006, ‘Diagnosis, access, and outcomes: update of a systematic review on telemedicine services’, Journal of Telemedicine & Telecare, vol.12, no.2, pp 3-31. Google books Fleisher, LD & Dechene, JC 2004, Telemedicine and e-health law, Law Journal Press, New York. pp. 1-5. Latifi, R 2008, Current Principles and Practices of Telemedicine and E-Health, IOS Press, Amsterdam. Pp. 24-30. Gabe, J & Calnan, M 2009, The new sociology of the Health Service. Taylor & Francis, New York. P.145 Bibliography Fleisher, LD & Dechene, JC 2004, Telemedicine and e-health law, Law Journal Press, New York. pp. 1-5. Latifi, R 2008, Current Principles and Practices of Telemedicine and E-Health, IOS Press, Amsterdam. Pp.24-30. Project plan The design of the project requires that it should be implemented in the next 24 months. The scheduled of the activities to be carried out is depicted as shown below: Phase Estimated completion time Phase I: Make agreement with vendors Jan 2012 Phase II: Equipment installation Feb 2012 Phase III: Install/Test equipment March to May 2012 Phase IV: Conduct Software/Hardware testing June to August 2012 Phase V: Training September to April 2013 Phase VI: System Implementation May to August 2013 Phase VII: System evaluation and survey September to December 2013 So far, the agreements with vendors have been done, and the project is aimed to go through all the aforementioned stages. In case the project fails, other alternatives will be considered. Read More