Journal of telemedicine and telecare
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Video calls for dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation can improve the confidence of lay rescuers--surveys after simulated cardiac arrest.
Many mobile phones allow two-way video communication, which permits callers to hear and see each other. If used during medical emergencies, bystanders can receive supervision and guidance from medical staff based on visual information. We investigated whether video calls from mobile phones could improve the confidence of lay rescuers. ⋯ Rescuers who had not used video phones had a greater tendency to comment on immature video call technology, while some who had used video phones complained about poor sound quality during video calls. The majority of rescuers in both groups believed that video calls were superior to audio calls during medical emergencies, and this proportion was significantly higher in the video group (P = 0.0002). We found that visual contact and supervision through video calls improved rescuers' confidence in stressful emergencies.
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Smartphone applications (or apps) are becoming increasingly popular. The lack of regulation or guidance for health-related apps means that the validity and reliability of their content is unknown. We have conducted a review of available apps relating to the generic condition of pain. ⋯ Despite an increasing number of apps being released, the frequency of HCP involvement is not increasing. Pain apps appear to be able to promise pain relief without any concern for the effectiveness of the product, or for possible adverse effects of product use. In a population often desperate for a solution to distressing and debilitating pain conditions, there is considerable risk of individuals being misled.
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We investigated the feasibility of night-time pulse-oximetry telemedicine. We compared polysomnography (PSG) as the gold standard with simultaneously recorded pulse-oximetry from a wrist pulse-oximeter. The results were evaluated by a sleep specialist and compared with outpatient polygraphy. ⋯ In contrast, the automatic assessment of severity based on the Oxygen Desaturation Index was unsatisfactory. For patients suspected of sleep related breathing disorders (SRBD), telemedically-evaluated pulse-oximetry is able to identify those who should be referred to a sleep laboratory for definitive diagnosis and treatment. The technique appears to be suitable for first screening in all patients at risk for SRBD.
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We examined 62 telehealth websites using four assessment criteria: design, literacy, information and telehealth content. The websites came from the member list of the American Telemedicine Association and the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth and partner sites, and were included if they were currently active and at least three clicks deep. Approximately 130 variables were examined for each website by two independent researchers. ⋯ All evaluation assessments were significantly correlated with each other except for literacy and information. The present study identified various matters that should be addressed when developing telehealth websites. Although much of this represents simple common sense in website design, our evaluation demonstrates that there is still much room for improvement.
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We evaluated the technical and organisational feasibility of a multifunctional telemedicine system in an emergency medical service (EMS) from the user's perspective. The telemedicine system was designed to transmit vital signs data and 12-lead-ECG data, send still pictures and allow voice communication and video transmission from an ambulance. The data were sent to a teleconsultation centre staffed with EMS physicians (tele-EMS physician). ⋯ The tele-EMS physician was able to assist the EMS team in several cases and provided the preliminary information for the hospital in nearly all missions. Use of the telemedical system in EMS is feasible and the quality of the transmitted images and video was satisfactory. However, technical reliability and availability need to be improved prior to routine use.