Thursday 25 November 2010

Telehealth

Nowadays many new epidemic outbreak such as SARS, Bird flu, mad cow and swine flu. It presents that the world population are at risk for sickness. When epidemic spreads, health organisations would ran sanitation campaign to promote public to avoid risky behaviors As you can see, hand cleaning gels are put everywhere to stop bird flu contracting in public places. Health became popular topic in society. People concern more about their health and how to keep themselves away from illness. Consequently, technology in medication is improved rapidly.

In the article"Wired Up at Home to Monitor Illnesses" in The New York Time by Milt Preudenhem reports the progress of Medicare devices use. Rachel Hofstad, 94, with chronic lung disease is one of patients who attend trial of "telehealth" device. In the morning, she start her daily health check. firstly, touch a screen to log in. Next, put on a blood pressure cuff to see her pressure and also her pulse. Thirdly, measure oxygen in blood by only slide forefinger into sensor. The last step is check her weight on the scale the link to the machine. After that the result will be sent to the doctors at Mayo clinic. This trial project's researcher, Dr.Gregory J. Hanson says that the device could be helpful in the elder with chronic condition such as lung and heart diseases, advance diabetes to follow their doctor and nurse advices. Big multinational companies, for example, G.E., Philip and Intel speed up their commitment about health. However, in the journal by Dr. Sarwat I. point out that in six weeks result there are no significant differences in health status between patients who use this device and patient in group control received usual care. By the way, Dr. Gregory tell that telehealth encourage the elder patient to tell the symptom that they hesitate to tell a nurse in person, and also reduce costs in medical check for long term.

Even though home medical devices are still limited in function and accuracy, they are possibility to develop the program the response the patient needs in the future. The home medical devices in Japan and Europe are more popular than in America. Home medical devices are the tool that help patients to be able to stay home even they need a care under doctor control. The progress of home medical device would solve a number of health problem in society. For example, it will decrease an epidemic because we can find the patient who is a carrier faster. Moreover, it reduce worried about the elder care in their descendant. Thank to researcher that they have developed technology in medical for flighting with illness. How about you ? What do you think medical device can do in the future?
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References

Freudenheim, M.(2010, November 22). "Wired Up at Home to Monitor Illness". The New York Time. Retrieved November 23, 2010 from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/health/23monitor.html?_r=1&ref=health

2 comments:

  1. It sounds interesting that home medical devices help patients staying home till they need doctors’ care. Home is a good place for healing and strengthening their mentality. For ability of medical devices, it helps to cut costs of nursing cares and transportation fees in case of patients living far away from public health centre.

    In the future, I imagine about the medical device which works as a doctor in your home. The devices can take care on a normal case till a complicated case. Secondly, the medical device should be a private doctor in daily life from when you are young. In this way, there is a solution to prevent a disease from the beginning.
    Actually, we should realize that the main factors of illness come from our behavior and environment. If we concern all of these and have the good medical device, we will start to live in healthy world.

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  2. Mostly, I am pleased with every innovations which have a main reason for helping people especially medical devices. I agree with NK (@November 25, 2010 10:38 AM) that telehealth helps people to cut the cost when patients go to hospital,and I think this device will help people who are disability to check their health without going to hospital.

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