The paper reviews various recent developments in medical field and healthcare systems the network enabled sensors and emerging sensor networks that are being used to provide continuous non-obtrusive patient monitoring from nursing stations and emergency mobile units. We propose, design, and analyze a model system for developing countries based on various ICT and sensor networks projects and the work reported in the literature. The doctors, patients, nursing and emergency handling units are integrated in communities over metropolitan and wide area networks for remote monitoring, consultation and rapid response. The decision support and workflow systems enable the physicians to provide prompt advice to patients and second opinion to their peers. Various new paradigms are emerging, e.g., ÿmedical tourismÿ is an interesting development where the patients can get cheaper services both in surgical procedures and post operation healthcare. On the similar lines, teleconferencing has been found highly useful for remote assistance, education and training of doctors and paramedical staff. Now Internet2 is the evolving domain for researchers and educationists; it has great promise for medical community as well. The ubiquitous connectivity through high-speed networks and grid infrastructure is becoming a reality of future and we have attempted to utilize such emerging technologies in the work presented here. The medical sensor networks are one of the enabling technologies in taking advantage of these facilities.
展开▼
