" (Wales and Zabrek, 2003)
Full integration with hospital servers of these devices is required to realize the full benefits of these devices. These mobile devices "facilitate the entry of data for storage and processing at the servers. By storing hospital data on servers rather than on the mobile devices, a number of advantages are realized. One is that servers, unlike mobile devices, have prodigious amounts of storage capacity. In addition, if data is stored on the servers, security is enhanced. If the mobile computer is lost or stolen, there is less concern that sensitive patient data will fall into unauthorized hands, and information technology staff can centrally manage hospital information including that displayed on PDAs, smartphones, and tablet computers. With data centralized on servers, it is possible for physicians to access data in realtime by simply requesting it with whatever device they happen to have, such as a handheld computer or cell phone, and viewing the requested data on the same or different device. For example, using a wireless Pocket PC handheld, a physician could request X-ray images. But because the handheld computer's screen is too small for proper viewing, the server could deliver the images to a nearby PC with a large monitor or to a Tablet PC available at a nearby nurse's station." (Wales and Zabrek, 2003)
In the local area network (LAN) computers and servers are connected through wire enabled connections with computers remaining stationary however, the wireless local area network (LAN) enables communication between computers through use of radio waves. The Wireless LAN has been installed at George Washington University and has enabled physicians to access hospital data from all locations in the hospital including "...elevators, patient rooms, and hospital corridors." (Wales and Zabrek, 2003) Wales and Zabrek report that George Washing University Hospital "...uses a telemetry system that transmits patient vital signs to hospital databases that are immediately available to mobile-device-toting physicians. The presence of these wireless systems has even affected the physical layout of the hospital..." (2003) Traditional nursing stations at George Washington University Hospital have been eliminated and replaced with "cart mounted wireless laptops to access medical records, digitized S-rays, and MRIs." (Wales and Zabrek, 2003)
The Pocket PC handheld enables transmission of patient vital signs and even enables stethoscopes to interact with the computer through a Handheld STG displaying and recording sounds of the heart and lungs for analysis by medical personnel. Wales and Zabrek report that the New Federal requirements relating to privacy of patients, HIPAA, effective as of April 15, 2003 is a law that "...mandates that physicians, nurses, pharmaceutical representatives, hospitals, and anyone or anything else involved in the delivery of patient information must comply or face stiff fines (up to $10,000 per infraction) and other penalties. In addition, the Federal government and insurance companies are working together to assure correct coding of evaluations and medical procedures. This will reduce fraud, and, when properly used, allow for correct reimbursement to physicians and hospitals that have been underpaid because of failure to charge for services rendered due to code ignorance or omission. Mobile devices with appropriate software will allow health care workers and institutions to stay in compliance with these new regulations and allow for fair and appropriate reimbursement for services rendered." (Wales and Zabrek, 2003)
IBM reports development of a mobile health toolkit that is useful in tracking patient's vital health signs and in reducing the health risk of the patient. The IBM report states: "From a technology standpoint, clinical information systems are a number one priority, especially as the demand for better quality of care and fewer errors increases. These systems help improve the overall efficiency of the clinical development process - particularly clinical trials - which consumes a vast amount of time and resources. When clinical development is inefficient, valuable investment expense is wasted and precious time is lost. Ultimately, profit potential and a company's competitive advantage are compromised." (IBM, nd)
The National Computing Centre report entitled: "Wi-Fi and VoIP in Healthcare - Everyone Wins" relates the fact that Patientline and Premier Managed Payphones recently installed phone systems in NHS trusts. Voice over IP is presently being installed in NHS hospital and promises "lower costs and simplified maintenance and support." (Bearne, 2005) Bearne states that hospitals are installing "more complex applications that really fire the imagination. Birmingham Heartlands Hospital was recently runner-up in the Wireless Broadband Innovation Awards for its Wi-Fi/RFID-based patient tracking and asset management system. A Proxim Wi-Fi network was installed in...
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