Studies in health technology and informatics
-
Implementing a telehealth program from the technical standpoint can be an engineering and financial challenge due to associated costs such as hardware, software, networking, administration and human expertise. To maximize potential and minimize costs, it makes sense to leverage existing telecommunications infrastructures and tailor the program based on what is available. This is especially critical in developing nations where funding is often limited.
-
Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2008
ReviewDiversity in preoperative-assessment data collection, a literature review.
The appropriate anesthetic techniques and care during and after operation rely on data gathered during the preoperative assessment. Because various people are involved, standardization of this process is important. This paper provides a systematic literature review about which data items are collected in the preoperative assessment. ⋯ Our study showed a high diversity of data items in the preoperative assessment. Because of the diversity of patients and treatment options available one undisputed preoperative assessment data set is hard to define. However, to solve the problem of exchangeability of the information at least anesthesiologists should use a same core set of data.
-
Surgical skill training is a long and tedious process of acquiring fine motor skills. To overcome the drawbacks of the existing toolbox trainer systems, we develop, for the first time, a virtual basic laparoscopic skill trainer (VBLaST) whereby tasks, such as the ones available in the FLS toolbox system, may be performed on the computer.
-
Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2008
Image registration assists novice operators in ultrasound assessment of abdominal trauma.
Transcutaneous ultrasound imaging may be used to detect abdominal hemorrhage in the field setting. The Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) examination was developed to characterize blunt abdominal trauma and has been shown to be effective for assessing penetrating trauma as well. However, it is unlikely that a minimally trained operator could perform a diagnostic examination. ⋯ The operator will be directed through the examination by prompts from a computer system or outside expert, potentially with knowledge of the anatomy of the injured patient. The key elements of the tele-operated FAST exam capability have been demonstrated; the exam is performed with real-time guidance from anatomic images registered to the body. It appears likely that Image Registration will assist hemorrhage detection at the point of injury or in the initial evaluation by a trauma response team.
-
Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2008
Improving pain & symptom management for advanced cancer patients with a clinical decision support system.
In palliative medicine, healthcare providers aim to provide end-of-life cancer patients with a plan of care to minimize pain and manage symptoms, while providing psychosocial and educational support to patients and their families. Unfortunately, it has been reported that patients often experience unnecessary suffering due to ineffective symptom management as they near end-of-life. ⋯ In this paper, we present a unique clinical decision support system that incorporates case-based reasoning and evidence-based standards of care. It is anticipated that this user-friendly, web-based CBR system will improve decision making for pain and symptom management for end-of-life cancer patients.