Telecommunications Systems in Support of Disaster Medicine: Applications of Basic Information Pathways

Use of telemedicine in disaster and remote places

“…With USAT and ACTS, it proved capable of providing a basic medical capability to any location making possible on-site tele-medical examinations in the field capturing, displaying, and sending audio, video, and data for the telemedicine consultations. [10]…”

“…The robot proved to be a useful means to extend resources and provide expert consulting if paediatric specialists were unable to physically be at the site. [10]…”

“…Ideally, systems should be compact, reliably powered, easy to use, easy to repair, lightweight, rugged, and highly mobile or transportable. [10]…”

“…This provided medical units with capabilities to access computerized medical records, track patient evacuations, use full-motion remote video tele-consultation, far-forward delivery of laboratory and radiology results, prescription support, digital diagnostic devices, ultrasound, computer tomography (CT) scanning, filmless tele-radiology, digitized medical logistics support, tele-dentistry, on-line clinical information/E-mail, and medical command and control/situational awareness. [10]…”

Emergency Communication

“…Large nodes were placed at the MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) in Tuzla, Bosnia. The MASH was then connected by two T1 satellite circuits which made it possible to interact with medical centres in the United States when the specific clinical expertise was not immediately available and the situation was urgent in Bosnia (Garshnek and Burkle, 1999).…”