2002

Telemedicine Anywhere

TELemedicine ANYwhere (TELANY)

Eli Larsen, Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine

Abstract

Introduction

The TELemedicine ANYwhere (TELANY) project shall demonstrate advanced mobile telemedicine applications using satellite communications. The project demonstrates help to two different user groups. These are people with heart trouble who need to be monitored and people on ships who need medical assistance.

Aim

The TelAny project has the following aims:

Monitoring of patients accessing life signals using devices implanted in their bodies (scenario a) Demonstration of the retrieval of medical data in a wireless environment and the communication via satellite from a ship to a medical office in Norway (scenario b). The use of data collection in a large centrally based database accessible by consulting specialists (scenario c) The project will promote the user awareness in mobile Telemedicine applications. Demonstrations Scenario a) is the first prototype of the future health care system where the patient is directly connected to a data network using implanted sensors, use of satellite telecommunications and sophisticated data treatment. Five patients with devices implanted by the participating cardiologists will be monitored from five different centres For scenarios b) the mobile telemedicine unit is installed in a maritime environment. Furthermore, the demonstration takes place on board of a passenger and goods transport vessel which calls regularly at ports along the coast. Data from scenario a and b will be sent to a database (scenario c). The physicians can monitor the information on this database. Information from the database could also be sent to five centres in Norway and Italy in case of second opinion. By the use of a standard web-browser, authorised doctors can read the patient records on the database. These will be completely mobile applications. Communication System The demonstration sessions in scenario a, will gather data from patient's locations using a device receiving telemetry from the implanted system and connected to Globalstar satellite terminal. Globalstar allows access to the terrestrial networks, both fixed and mobile. Onboard the boat, we will demonstrate two-way data and voice transmission, along with video transmission from the ship to land. The satellite service to be used is Inmarsat Global Access Network, and the on land service will be a simulation of a standard Medical Emergency Call Centre. In addition, we will demonstrate the usefulness of a wireless network on board the ship, to allow medical treatment of a patient wherever they are on board.

Status

The technical solutions have been tested and are proofed to function.

In the next months, five patients will have the implanted heart monitoring equipment. The data will be sent by satellite to a database. Onboard MS Trollfjord, a demonstration will take place in November this year. ECG, photos, multimonitoring signals (BP, SO2, temperature) and heart murmur, will be sent by the same application to the doctor onshore. Additionally, mobile videoconference equipment will be demonstrated. Data from the boat will also be sent to a database. The project started June 2001 and will be finished within 2002.

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