ICT and medicine

IT & C Department AP - Secretariat

Topics

The uses of ICT in medicine › in patient records, medical equipments,

internet devices…etc Advantages and disadvantages of

using ICT in medicine Computers and the disabled Examples of computer systems used

by the disabled

The uses of ICT in medicine

ICT in Medicine

Research

Communications

Patient Records

Medical Equipment

s

Expert Systems

Web Based

Diagnosis

Medical Databases (ERP)

Patients records now stored electronically

Data can be accessed by more than one medical professional at the same time

No need to transport files (speed of data access)

Security

Latest information can be accessed from patients bedside (example: results from blood tests)

Intranets and Extranets

The user uses one database software application to access the information and is likely to be unaware that the data is not stored in one place

Laptop of the Ward

Intensive Care

Plastics

SurgeryPharmacy

A+E

Radiology

Patient data is stored on lots of separate databases

Patient Records Medical records used to be

stored on paper but now it is transferred to a computer data base

It keeps a track of patients’ medical history e.g. the prescribed drugs and what illness the patient has suffered from

Data bases of patients have been used to track trends in illnesses such as heart disease

Data bases of organ donors and patients needing transplant

Advantages•Access will be quicker•Takes up less space•Writing will be easy to read •Transfer of records will be quicker between GPs and Hospitals

Disadvantages•Inputting enormous amount of data from paper-based records can take much time•Patients record may be lost or hacked•Some doctors may find it difficult to enter electronic records

Patient Records

Medical Equipments Scanners

Are used to process their data into a readable format

Microprocessors Are used to

control a variety of medical devices such as pacemakers

Computer guided lasers Are used in

operations. For example the removal of brain tumors

Advantages•New type of Surgeries possible•Reduce waiting time in the hospital•Surgeons can perform operations remotely.

Disadvantages•Computers can have defects and can break down•Doctors have to retrain to use the new equipments.

Medical Equipments

ICT has changed the way in which medical research is conducted

• Modelling the effects of new drugs

• ICT is used to conduct clinical trials

• Collaboration between international teams e.g. Apollo Health Care, TTK etc

Advantages•Management of Clinical trials online•Better Quality of life for the disabled•Collaboration between health care professionals

Disadvantages•Can never replace clinical trials

Research

You can find a wide variety of medical information such as :

Symptom diagnosis, for people who wish to identify their problem without consulting a GP (General practitioner)Access to medical research/journalsInformation about side effectsInformation about available treatments

Advantages•24/7 Access to information•Support for patients from other sufferers •Access to research for professionals

Disadvantages•Can lead to incorrect diagnosis•Incorrect prescribed drugs

Web-based diagnosis (Internet services)

Teleconferencing has been used to share expertise Surgeons in one country can help those in the

other Wireless transmission provides a link between

hospitals and doctors Telecommunications

Remote diagnosis can be used to diagnose and treat patients remotely

Patients can monitor their own conditions at home without need for a visit in a hospital

Communications

Expert systems Also called knowledge-based systems They are computer programs that attempt to

replicate the performance of a human expert on some specialized reasoning tasks

Store and manipulate knowledge so that they can help the user to solve a problem or make a decision

Expert systems are being used for disease diagnosis

Expert Systems

Also called knowledge-based systems

They are computer programs that attempt to replicate the performance of a human expert on some specialized reasoning tasks

Store and manipulate knowledge so that they can help the user to solve a problem or make a decision

Expert systems are being used for disease diagnosis

Computers and the disabledComputer systems :•Improve the ability to communicate•Provide opportunities for independence and employment

Examples:•Scanners to convert printed text to verbal out put for visually impaired•Voice recognition equipment to convert speech to printed output for hearing impaired•Special pointing devices to allow interaction with computer for physically impaired•Vision systems with sensors built into special glasses•Computerized devices implanted to improve mobility for physically impaired