New Medical Trend Has People Getting Checked Out Electronically and Not In Person

It used to be that when you were sick, you went to your doctor's office or the hospital for treatment - but suddenly, that's starting to change.

A growing number of doctors and nurses are treating patients at high tech kiosks- that come equipped with a video hookup- and various equipment that can monitor such things as blood pressure, and even perform heart and lung checks.

Advocates of so-called telemedicine say it saves time and money- especially for people who need frequent medical attention - but Dr. Eileen Moynihan, the President of the Medical Society of New Jersey says "I can't imagine that it's as good as being there- you know, how red, or how swollen, or how whatever- I think it's always better to see it."

She adds "when someone comes to your office, sometimes it's just their walking in that you're watching- there are a number of things that you're taking in, their body language, and it might direct your line of questioning just right there."

Dr. Moynihan says "I worry about the personal interaction that often helps define how the visit is going to go, and you won't have that with this."

Telemedicine has grown most rapidly in assisted living and old age homes, but in some areas, the high tech kiosks are starting to pop up in malls and shopping centers.

This is an option being explored with VeriChip. Telemedicine is being introduced without the Microchip option being presented up front. But here is the behind the scenes presentation.

http://www.simson.net/ref/2004/csci_e-170/handouts/final/sanj1.ppt

[Biomedical Telemedicine ]

Usability, Privacy and Security

CSCI E-170 Fall 2004

Final Project

Lee & Oghra

Overview

* Goals & Objectives of Telemedicine. * Benefits of Telemedicine in Healthcare. * Privacy issues. * Current industry players. * Industrial Trend . * Conclusion. * Questions and Answers

Goals & Objectives of Telemedicine

* Increase diagnosis efficiency. * Provide integrated database for patients. * Expand time and space to monitor patients. * Saves Lives

Benefits of Telemedicine in Healthcare

* Cost Reduction * Increase productivities * Real-time monitoring * Saves Patients’ Lives

Privacy issues

* Unwanted Commercial Attention * Criminals * Legal Injustices * Social Injustices * “Lojack” dangers * Innocent Until Proven Guilty?

Current industry players

* Lifeguard System * Vital Positioning System * Verichip * Caregiver * Smart Bandage * V-TAM Shirt * LifeShirt

Lifeguard System

* Sensor Pad

CPOD– Crew Physiological Observation Device

Base Station

Vital Positioning System

* Utilizes cellphones * Simplistic user setup * Detects cardiac infarctions up to 20 mins prior * Next step towards telemedicine?

VeriChip ®

* Applied Digital Solutions * RFID tag implanted under the skin in humans * Uses: o Communicating information about user in emergency situations o Identification and verification of individuals o Tracking * *Roughly ~2000 implanted in humans

VeriChip®

* How does this work at VeriChip Corp.?

* Some vulnerabilities…

* Likelihood of widespread use

VeriChip System

Overview

c/o Applied Digital Solutions

Caregiver’s Assistant®

* Image of portable RFID tag

* How does this work?

* Implications…

Fig. 1 Caregiver’s Assistant portable RFID tag

Fig. 2 Caregiver’s Assistant System Overview

c/o Intel Corp.

Caregiver’s Assistant®

* Intel Corporation - Research * Targeted to the elderly population * Improving Care, Reducing Cost

The promise of:

- Enhanced Healthcare, preventing crippling falls, monitoring the user for cognitive degeneration (taking medicines, brushing teeth)

- Allowing elderly to delay moving to nursing homes and stay at home, keeping them

- Easing burden on ‘caregivers’ (children, doctors, nurses)

Caregiver’s Assistant®

Industrial Trend

* Provide affordable healthcare environment to meet the growing aging population * Secure the privacy to protect the most vulnerable group of people * Improve of quality of life for the unfortunate * Provide critical medical information in a timely and accurate manner.

Conclusion

* Privacy must be addressed * Secure Transfers * Secure Data Management * Data Storage Sanitation * Corporate Responsibility

Questions and Answer

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