Health informatics: Mobile Computing and Social Networking - Essay Example

? Full Paper Q1. Vital Signs using Mobile Technologies Studies revealed that for improving the quality of health care, monitoring mechanisms must be efficient and effective. The effective monitoring mechanism will transfer information related to vital signs accurately and robustly, resulting in an instant transfer of medical information and response time from a caregiver or doctor. However, to make the monitoring mechanism effective, there is no solution so far except the integration of social networking sites empowered with mobile computing called as Mobile Health Monitoring (MHM) (Brahnam & Jain, ). After the integration, these systems have proven to be efficient and reliable, as they facilitate continuous connectivity of patient’s vital signs to the caregiver or doctors (Brahnam & Jain,). (Brahnam & Jain,) Magrabi along with other researchers has constructed a web based system that will be utilized for monitoring patients located at home and suffering from a disease called as cystic fibrosis. The system is fully equipped and works in a standard browser that becomes active whenever new data of a patient is transmitted. Moreover, the system also reviews patient medical history and sends reminders and suggestions via email to both the caregiver and the patient as well (Brahnam & Jain,). However, one problem is not addressed yet, i.e. absence of instant monitoring mechanism of the patient’s body, as it will be achievable by incorporating sensors attached to the body. In contrast, the mobile health monitoring system comprises of micro sensors, wrist devices, health smart clothes and health smart homes. All these devices are capable of capturing vital signs and transmitting them to the social networking sites via mobile communication (Brahnam & Jain,). Q2. Advantages and Disadvantages of using Mobile computing technologies In mobile computing, micro sensors are utilized for capturing health data, as they are small size intelligent devices that use works on low power consumption. Secondly, wrist devices are also used for monitoring health data by integrating sensors, electronic circuits, display and a wireless carrier - all integrated in a small portable device that will be suitable for healthcare environments. Thirdly, the health care cloths are flexible and can be equipped with the body, as they are stitched from textile technologies, such as fibers equipped with electronic and optical components. Lastly, health smart homes are utilized instead of separate medical facilities, resulting in significant cost savings. All these technologies are equipped with wireless communication devices that will deliver value, convenience, quality health care and a better life for the patients. Hence mobile computing devices enable and facilitate caregivers and health care cooperative roles instant access to patient information on a common platform or knowledge base regardless of geographical location. Negatives aspects include radiation from microwave signals that are used as a communication carries for these devices, sensors and digital circuits. Secondly, there is always a risk of personal medical information being exposed to unauthorized persons, such as hackers or cyber criminals. Hu, Jiang, & Xiao (2008) conducted a research on Low-cost wireless sensor networks for remote cardiac patient monitoring applications. The primary objective was to utilize the modern communication technology that will establish a tele-cardiology sensor network that will serve as a remote ECG monitoring mechanism. The system was equipped with two core components. As the model was established on wireless sensor networks, related mobile platforms were distributed to the patients (Hu, Jiang, & Xiao, 2008). These mobile platforms were programmed to collect vital signs of patients by utilizing a 3 lead ECG monitoring system. Moreover, the collected data were transmitted via wireless over radio medium to the receiver that was connected to a monitoring and data processing system (Hu, Jiang, & Xiao, 2008). Similarly, the second core component was the theory of wavelength analysis. This theory was activated on the patient data monitoring and processing system. Consequently, the gathered medical data facilitated caregivers and doctors the possibility of diagnosing cardiovascular diseases (Hu, Jiang, & Xiao, 2008). Furthermore, the model was also capable of recording ECG signals, as traditionally it is a time consuming process, where human mistakes are also probable (Hu, Jiang, & Xiao, 2008). Q3. Security concerns with regards to digital transmission of personal information over Wireless networks As far as security is concerned, patient privacy is essential, as medical information such as ECG monitoring, vital signs etc. is continuously transmitted wirelessly to the carrier networks. In order to safeguard this information, access control methods must be implemented for assuring the access to only the relevant staff i.e. doctors, caregivers, patients etc. A system was introduced by (Le, Khalid, Sankar, & Lee, 2011) called as Mutual Authentication and Access Control based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography (MAACE). (Hu, Jiang, & Xiao, 2008) MAACE enforces a mutual authentication mechanism i.e. a health care professional will be authenticated to a medical sensor, smart phone or PDA along with ensuring only permitted data to be accessed. Moreover, by deploying cryptography, the MAACE system provides symmetric key encryption methods ensuring feasibility on sensor based architectures (Hu, Jiang, & Xiao, 2008). Q4. Social Networking group support for patients There are many social networking groups associated with patients. One of them is Patient network that is a health based network where patients share their diseases, experiences, options for treatments available, knowledge sharing and supporting other patients currently suffering from identical health issues. (Patient network - social support groups for people who wants to share their health experiences) It is a collaborative platform that facilitates and assists patients for tacking and fighting with the disease, recommendation for best available doctors in their region and getting sympathy, friendship offers from similar disease group patients. Therefore, Patient network helps to make patients life easier by improving their quality of life and facilitating them in many aspects (Patient network - social support groups for people who wants to share their health experience). Similarly, one more social networking site called as Webtribes Incorporate that supports and facilitates patients suffering from life consuming diseases, such as mental depression, anxiety, addiction to drugs, HIV etc., provides free online support for registered members (Mental health social networking support groups: Addiction, OCD, depression, anxiety, HIV aids help ). Apart from sharing and exchanging information, suggestions and ideas, the site also provides blogging, forums, polls, chat rooms, games etc. The website also motivates member to empower and assist themselves and other patients of same disease groups (Mental health social networking support groups: Addiction, OCD, depression, anxiety, HIV aids help ). References Brahnam, S., & Jain, L. C.Advanced computational intelligence paradigms in healthcare 5: Intelligent decision support systems (studies in computational intelligence) Springer. Hu, F., Jiang, M., & Xiao, Y. (2008). Low-cost wireless sensor networks for remote cardiac patients monitoring applications. Wireless Communications & Mobile Computing, 8(4), 513-529. doi:10.1002/wcm.488 Le, X. H., Khalid, M., Sankar, R., & Lee, S. (2011). An efficient mutual authentication and access control scheme for wireless sensor networks in healthcare. Journal of Networks, 6(3), 355-364. doi:10.4304/jnw.6.3.355-364 Mental health social networking support groups: Addiction, OCD, depression, anxiety, HIV aids help Retrieved 5/24/2012, 2012, from http://www.webtribes.com/ Patient network - social support groups for people who wants to share their health experiences Retrieved 5/24/2012, 2012, from http://network.patient.org.in/ Read More