Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association
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Store-and-forward (S&F) teledermatology has been used to increase patient access to dermatologic care. A major challenge to implementing S&F teledermatology is selecting secure and cost-saving applications for data capture and transmission. Detailed analyses and comparison of the major S&F teledermatology applications do not exist in the current peer-reviewed literature. The objectives of this study were to identify, evaluate, and compare the major S&F teledermatology applications in the United States to help referral and consultant sites select applications responsive to their needs. ⋯ The four major S&F teledermatology applications in the United States are versatile applications capable of facilitating communication between referral and consultant sites. Continued efforts in making these applications more secure, robust, user-friendly, and affordable will contribute to wider implementation of S&F teledermatology.
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Health information technology including telemedicine offers potential to improve patient care outcomes. As part of the response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, the Louisiana State University Health Care Services Division expanded its statewide telemedicine program. The aim of this study was to evaluate provider satisfaction and patient outcomes associated with telemedicine when used for the administration of prisoner medical care. ⋯ Most telemedicine encounters were completed (92.8%), a treatment plan was established (97.0%), the provider perceived that the technology was adequate to conduct visit (93.4%), and a follow-up telemedicine appointment was requested (90.8%). Most providers were satisfied with telemedicine for the visit overall (87.0%), believed that telemedicine improved patient prognosis (88.2%), and perceived that the patient was satisfied (83.0%). This study suggests that telemedicine was an effective and accepted method of healthcare provision.
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The study of the adoption of information technology (IT) by individuals has taken two approaches, one emphasizing rationalistic goal-oriented behavior and the other focusing on poignant forces that influence an individual's reaction to a new IT. These approaches are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Individuals' acceptance and subsequent usage of a new IT is predicated on both. ⋯ Namely, Sub-Saharan African, in general, and Ethiopian culture, in particular, plays an integral role in the adoption of ICT solutions. Organizational positions and roles among physicians, clinical professionals, and superiors stand to impact the adoption of telemedicine and other healthcare applications. Last, the degree to which users perceive that ICT is easy to use (i.e., ease of use) can be a function of technology experience and can influence perceived usefulness on behalf of users and healthcare organizations.
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Case Reports
Long-term monitoring of heart rate, respiration rhythm, and body movement during sleep based upon a network.
A method for accurately recording heart rate (HR), respiration rhythm (RR), and body movement (BM) during sleep using a network-based system is proposed in this article. Its application to the long-term monitoring of HR, RR, and BM during sleep was examined. HR, RR, and BM were detected by pressure variations corresponding to changes in the heartbeat and respiratory motion, which were measured by a sensor unit placed beneath a pillow during sleep under completely unconstrained conditions. ⋯ Periodic biorhythms can also be assessed using the profiles of the average HR and certain frequency-domain parameters of HR variability. The rhythmic property of these profiles was confirmed to coincide with the subject's menstrual cycle. The results of this 13-month trial operation show that this system can be installed in the home environment; used to monitor HR, RR, and BM during sleep; and analyze various physiological rhythms in humans over prolonged periods.