News
Aberdeen trials telemedicine booth for remote and community care
6 February 2008
The Scottish Centre for Telehealth (SCT), Cisco, and the National
Health Service in Scotland have launched the world's first trial of
Cisco's HealthPresence, an innovative patient care delivery concept
using Cisco TelePresence technology.
The trial is taking place at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland
to assess the efficacy of the technology, as well as patient and
caregiver satisfaction, when the system is used in a safe, highly secure
environment. Upon a successful outcome of this program, further trials
may be planned in Scotland and around the world.
The Cisco HealthPresence booth
Cisco HealthPresence combines state-of-the-art video, audio and call
centre technology with medical information over a secure network
to create a virtual face-to-face experience for patients and caregivers
who may be miles apart.
The platform interfaces with medical diagnostic
equipment, such as stethoscopes and otoscopes, as well as a vital signs
monitor that can measure blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate and
pulse oximetry to capture the physiological condition of the patient. An
attendant is available to operate the medical devices on behalf of the
remotely located caregiver as well as to maintain the technology in good
operating condition.
Clinicians Dr Karyn Webster and Dr Fiona Mair from the Royal Aberdeen
Infirmary, said, "HealthPresence is an asset to improve the quality
of telephone advice and triage. Being able to visualise and have
physiological parameters on a patient will improve patient care. It is a straightforward setup … as easy as switching on a
PC. As health professionals we are increasingly using technology and so
are becoming very used to using this type of equipment".
Communicating with a doctor by videoconference
Transmitting images of a patient's eye
condition to a doctor by videoconference
"In our efforts to provide better patient care and utilise our
medical staff to the full, we have been collaborating with the Cisco
Internet Business Solutions Group Healthcare team to find new solutions
through innovative technology", says Gordon Peterkin, director of the
Scottish Centre for Telehealth.
"Solutions such as Cisco HealthPresence enable us to offer
convenience for patients and service delivery efficiency for our
doctors. We look forward to drawing upon the results from this pilot to
optimise our regional and national healthcare delivery resources".
The main benefit to the NHS will be in having these booths in rural
and remote areas which are difficult to staff with doctors. Booths could
also be sited in hotels or police stations in small towns or villages
and there is the possibility of developing them as walk-in centres in
supermarkets in other areas. It is an opportunity to take the expertise
of doctors to where patients are rather than have the patient come to
the doctor.
The system will enable patients to benefit from:
- an improved health experience at convenient locations, such as
retail outlets, work, on-the-go, at schools, and at home;
- access to high-quality or specialty health services, regardless
of location;
- follow-up and impromptu visits — episodic care, occupational
health, and mental health services will become more available
without long lead times. it will also allow access to local,
regional, national, or even global expertise; and
- convenience of receiving care outside normal
hours.
In addition, HealthPresence could assist in reducing waiting times in
A&E departments. Currently, around 40% of patients seen by A&E
departments can be treated by other means. By offering patients with
minor conditions the opportunity to speak to a consultant via HealthPresence rather than having to wait for hours to be seen, the
strain placed on the A&E department can be eased and the patient can be
diagnosed just as effectively.
"Shortages of healthcare practitioners and increasing costs, combined
with aging populations, have put significant strains on health systems
throughout the world. By using the network as a platform, Cisco has a
key role to play in the delivery of safe, affordable and accessible
healthcare", says Nick Augustinos, Global Healthcare Solutions director
for the Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group.
"Joining forces with NHS and SCT has enabled us, together, to
consider bringing healthcare services to remote and rural areas where
recruitment and retention of doctors and nurses is proving increasingly
difficult".
HealthPresence was developed by Cisco's Internet Business Solutions
Group and prototyped at Cisco's Technology Centre; it is based on the
Cisco TelePresence system, which was launched in October 2006. The
lifelike experience of interacting using Cisco TelePresence resulted its
deployment by 100 customers in more than 40 countries worldwide within
its first year.
|
