|
Information Technology has been an important catalyst in the process of healthcare enhancement, at many levels –it has enhanced the way patients access care, the way care is delivered and has also provided information to healthcare providers to make informed decisions towards improving the health of the world.
This issue of Site News exclusively captures how Information Technology has been deployed in eye care to bridge the gap between the patient and the provider and how it enables continuous improvement of patient care by providing timely and appropriate information. It also explores how data can be stored, disseminated and used optimally by healthcare providers.
- THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ON THE PRACTICE OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
Information technology has had a tremendous impact on the outlook of our professional lives. The Internet has revolutionized the speed of access to information with touch of a button. This article discusses the various aspects of information technology which are changing and enhancing our professional lives. It provides tips to enable the busy practising clinician to use the available resources effectively. Problems such as reliability of information on the web and how to assess the quality of such matter are also discussed.
- INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND OPHTHALMOLOGY
Information is the lifeblood of modern clinical practice, and the information technology (IT) infrastructure is the vasculature that supports the flow of this information throughout the health-care enterprise. Although the impact of IT may not be obvious to the overworked clinician, IT is the underpinning that enables virtually all knowledge-based work.
- COMPUTERS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY PRACTICE
Computers are already in widespread use in medical practice throughout the world and their utility and popularity is increasing day by day. While future generations of medical professionals will be computer literate with a corresponding increase in use of computers in medical practice, the current generation finds itself in a dilemma of how best to adapt to the fast-evolving world of information technology. In addition to practice management, information technology has already had a substantial impact on diagnostic medicine, especially in imaging techniques and maintenance of medical records. This information technology is now poised to make a big impact on the way we deliver medical care in India. Ophthalmology is no exception to this, but at present very few practices are either fully or partially computerized. This article provides a practical account of the uses and advantages of computers in ophthalmic practice, as well as a step-by-step approach to the optimal utilization of available computer technology.
|
|
Telemedicine has become a critical bridge to make healthcare available to the underserved population. WHO emphasizes the need for The delivery of healthcare services, where distance in a critical factor, by all healthcare professionals using information and communication technologies for the exchange of valid information for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease and injuries, research and evaluations.
- TELEMEDICINE - OPPORTUNITIES AND DEVELOPMENTS IN MEMBER STATES
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have great potential to address some of the challenges faced by both developed and developing countries in providing accessible, cost effective, high-quality health care services. Telemedicine uses ICTs to overcome geographical barriers, and increase access to health care services. This is particularly beneficial for rural and underserved communities in developing countries – groups that traditionally suffer from lack of access to health care.
- ARAVIND EYE HOSPITAL – EYE ON HOPE
This is a Human Network Story about how atelemedicine network in rural Tamil Nadu enables sustainable access to comprehensive eye care.
- DEPLOYING A RURAL WIRELESS TELEMEDICINE SYSTEM: EXPERIENCES IN SUSTAINABILITY
A novel IC T project in rural India uses long-distance Wi-Fi networking to enable high-quality video conferencing between eye hospitals and remote village clinics. The project highlights the importance of sustainability as a first-class goal for systems research.
- TELEMEDICINE – APPLICATIONS IN TELE-OPHTHALMOLOGY
Comprehensive telemedicine promises a world of medicine freed of geographic borders, time zones, and personnel shortages. It could open the door to more accessible medical delivery systems and economical widespread screening for disease. No region of the world would be too remote or too poor to receive high quality medical care. This article traces the development and current applications and initiatives in the field of telemedicine as applied to ophthalmology in the wider sense. Uses for clinical diagnosis and management, screening, research, education and peer interaction are discussed.
- OPHTHWEB A COST-EFFECTIVE TELEMEDICINE FOR OPHTHALMOLOGY
OphthWeb is an ophthalmic electronic medical record system that can be accessed locally and globally via the Internet. OphthWeb can provide secure multimedia patient data to doctors, patients, and health care providers at any time and in any place. Patients have secured access to their own records in the convenience of their homes or during any health emergency at any time or place around the world.
- ARAVIND TELE OPHTHALMOLOGY NETWORK
Recent advancements in tele-medicine break through barriers of distance and time and in the field of eye care they present a whole new array of exciting possibilities. Riding the wave of this new revolution is eyesTalk, free software that enables ophthalmologists anywhere in India and the rest of the world to receive second opinions, expert diagnoses from specialists at the Aravind Eye Care System.
- TELE-OPHTHALMOLOGY SOFTWARE APPLICATION
An online screening application for the early diagnosis and referral of diabetic retinopathy. This solution integrates all aspects of the screening process, from the initial appointment, uploading of data and fundus images to reading, reporting, follow-up and automated recall scheduling. It allows e-consultation. Can be used in situations with/without immediate access to the Internet.
- APPLICATION OF TELE-OPHTHALMOLOGY IN REMOTE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF ADNEXAL AND ORBITAL DISEASE
Ophthalmology as a specialty is readily adaptable to a tele-health delivery system as most of the diagnostic instruments can be easily adapted to mount still and video cameras. Ophthalmologists regularly analyze photographic images to make diagnostic inferences for a number of eye conditions as part of their standard practice.
- TELE-OPHTHALMOLOGY IN INDIA: IS IT HERE TO STAY
Ophthalmology centers in India are pioneering some excellent work using information technology to promote eye care.
|
|
- DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDING AND ARCHIVING IN OPHTHALMIC SURGERY
Currently most ophthalmic operating rooms are equipped with an analog video recording system. This article discus the various advantages of a digital video capture device, its archiving capabilities and our experience during the transition from analog to digital video recording and archiving. The basic terminology and concepts related to analog and digital video, along with the choice of hardware, software and formats for archiving are discussed.
- TOWARD COMPUTER-ASSISTED DIAGNOSIS AND TELEMEDICINE IN OPHTHALMOLOGY
Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) and telemedicine use has risen as the integration of different technological efforts is aimed at overcoming these difficulties. Retinal image analysis is a continuously growing research field with newly completed results being translated into clinical use. However, there are still many barriers to overcome before a de?nitive successful clinical deployment occurs. Retinal image illumination compensation, restoration, and change detection are only three of the many required techniques for retinal image analysis and CAD.
- VIDEO INDIRECT OPHTHALMOSCOPY USING A HAND-HELD VIDEO CAMERA
Fundus photography in adults and cooperative children is possible with a fundus camera or by using a slit lamp-mounted digital camera. A technique of converting and using a digital video camera into a video indirect ophthalmoscope for fundus imaging is described. This device will allow anyone with a hand-held video camera to obtain fundus images. Limitations of this technique involve a learning curve and inability to perform scleral depression.
|
|
- VISION CENTERS – OPENING OUR EYES TO EYE CARE
Aravind Eye Hospital blended information technology innovatively into “Vision Centres” – a Primary Eye Care Centre facilitating online consultation. The vision centres allow every single patient to consult the ophthalmologists at the secondary hospital or tertiary hospital through online tele-consultation. This online approach helps rural patients acquire the right treatment advice directly from ophthalmologists, assisted by appropriate diagnosis by the vision centre’s technicians.
|
|
- EFFECTIVENESS OF MOBILE-PHONE SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE (SMS) REMINDERS FOR OPHTHALMOLOGY OUTPATIENT APPOINTMENTS: OBSERVATIONAL STUDY
Non-attendance for hospital outpatient appointments is a significant problem in many countries. It causes suboptimal use of clinical and administrative staff and financial losses, as well as longer waiting times. The use of Short Message Service (SMS) appointment reminders potentially offers a cost-effective and time-efficient strategy to decrease non-attendance and so improve the efficiency of outpatient healthcare delivery.
- SMARTPHONES IN OPHTHALMOLOGY
The potential usefulness of smart phones in the medical field is evolving everyday. This article describes various tools available on smart phones, largely focusing on the iPhone, for the examination of an ophthalmic patient, for patient and physician education, as well as reference tools for both ophthalmologists and vision researchers. Furthermore, the present article discusses how smart phones can be used for ophthalmic photography and image management, and foremost, the usefulness of the applications such as the Eye handbook for the ophthalmologist and interested students, patients, physicians, and researchers currently available in the iPhone.
- OPHTHALMOLOGISTS HOLD ROP DIAGNOSIS IN THE PALM OF THEIR HAND
Physicians at Narayana Nethralaya Postgraduate Institute of Ophthalmology in Bangalore are using their iPhones in a pilot program to screen infants in rural and semi-urban areas for retinopathy of prematurity.
- DELIVERING SUBSPECIALTY HEALTH CARE TO RURAL INDIA USING THE MOBILE PHONE-THE NARAYANA NETHRALAYA EXPERIENCE IN TELE OPHTHALMOLOGY
|
|
- MANAGING PATIENT RECORDS IN THE EYE UNIT
Providing excellent eye care requires excellent record keeping and data collection. Why? Because good record keeping ensures continuity of eye care, fulfils medico-legal requirements, and is professional! Good data collection, based on good record keeping, supports health management information systems.
- MANAGING INFORMATION IN EYE CARE PROGRAMMES: THE HEALTH SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE
Health information is one of the six components of a health care system. We need information about each of the components in order to plan and monitor. IT can enable such information to be available in the relevant format at the required time to the appropriate persons to take action.
- THE QUALITY CASE FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTHCARE
This report suggests that there are five key policy domains that need to be addressed: standards, incentives, security and confidentiality, professional involvement, and research, with financial incentives representing the single most important lever. This report discusses the current levels of IT and quality in health care, how quality improvement and management are currently done, the evidence that more IT might be helpful, a vision of the future, and the barriers to getting there.
- USING TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE PATIENT CARE
The shortage of qualified personnel has a direct impact on the ability of nurses to provide an appropriate level of care in all patient settings. Implementing technologies designed to enhance patient safety and improve nursing ef?ciency may help health care organizations recruit and retain quali?ed professionals from a shrinking workforce.
- PRIMARY CARE MANAGERS SUPPORTED BY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS IMPROVE OUTCOMES, REDUCE COSTS FOR PATIENTS WITH COMPLEX CONDITIONS
The Care Management Plus program uses care managers equipped with informatics tools in primary care clinics to orchestrate care plans for elderly patients with chronic conditions. The managers work with health care providers, specialists, and community agencies to coordinate and improve patient care and outcomes. At the heart of the Care Management Plus program is an electronic tracking and reminder system. The combination of IT and well-trained care managers helps patients and caregivers self-manage their conditions, prioritize health care needs, prevent complications through structured health care protocols, and navigate an increasingly complex health care system.
|
|
- PICTURE ARCHIVING AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM – PART ONE FILMLESS RADIOLOGY AND DISTANCE RADIOLOGY
Picture archiving and communication system (PACS) is a collection of technologies used to carry out digital medical imaging. PACS is used to digitally acquire medical images from the various modalities, such as computed tomography(CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, and digital projection radiography.The image data and pertinent information are transmitted to other and possibly remote locations over networks, where they may be displayed on computer workstations for soft copy viewing in multiple locations, thus permitting simultaneous consultations and almost instant reporting from radiologists at a distance.
- EYEPACS: AN OPEN SOURCE CLINICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR EYE CARE
EyePACS is an application for communicating and archiving eye-related patient information, images, and diagnostic data. We studied how users adopted the system in diverse clinical settings. Methods: 53 clinicians and 142 students uploaded cases over 2.5 years from 6 pilot sites: a university teaching clinic, a university glaucoma clinic, an urban private optometric practice, a rural elderly care facility, a diabetic management program, and an eye hospital in India.
- EYEPACS: AN ADAPTABLE TELEMEDICINE SYSTEM FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY SCREENING
Telemedicine-based diabetic retinopathy screening (DRS) in primary care settings can effectively detect sight-threatening retinopathy and significantly increase compliance with annual retinal exams. EyePACS is a license-free Web-based DRS system designed to simplify the process of image capture, transmission, and review. The system provides a flexible platform for collaboration among clinicians about diabetic retinopathy.
|
|
- DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRONIC HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM UTILIZING CLOUD COMPUTING AND ANDROID OS USING VPN CONNECTIONS
Cloud Computing provides facilities for storage, management, processing, and accessing information and other data stored in several system, platforms, applications etc . The above work represents the implementation of electronic hospital management system which enables date storage, update, retrieval, modification through cloud using the virtual private network which enhances the security of the data. The management system is developed using the popular Android OS.
- HEALTH MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (HMIS)
The Health Management Information System (HMIS) has been envisaged to not only help the administrators to have better monitoring and control of the functioning of hospitals across the state using decision support indicators but also assist the doctors and medical staff to improve health services with readily reference patient data, work flow enabled less-paper process and parameterized alarms and triggers during patient treatment cycle.
|
|
You can also refer your friends to register with the innovative resources. Send in your friend's e-mail id to us at eyesite@aravind.org with the subject line Register my friend's id!
Subscribe Sitenews
If you want to unsubscribe from our mailing list and from all our communications please click on the following link:
Unsubscribe Sitenews
Address:
Vision 2020 e-resource team,
Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology,
1, Annanagar, Madurai - 625 020,
Tamil Nadu, India,
E-mail:eyesite@aravind.org
Phone: 91-452-2537580
| |
|
INTRODUCTION
IT TO CREATE ACCESS
IT – REACHING OUT TO PATIENTS
IT – ENABLING PRIMARY EYE CARE 
MOBILE OPHTHALMOLOGY
IT FOR EYE HOSPITALS: MEDICAL RECORDS 
IT FOR PATIENT CARE MANAGEMENT
IT FOR PATIENT SAFETY
MEDICAL INFORMATION ARCHIVING: PACS
IT: PROVIDING MANAGEMENT INFORMATION 
SERVICE PLANNING TOOLS: GIS
Talk To Us 