Question

Based on the discussion of hardware, Internet, and software technology trends in Chapter 7 "Defining the System Architecture”, it should be clear to you that the Real-Time Glucose Monitoring (RTGM) system is an interesting combination of older and newer technology. Except for the interface to software and data on mobile phones, the server-side portions of the system are a relatively traditional business-oriented application that can be implemented by using old-fashioned technology. What makes the RTGM system “new” are its client-side functions, including the automated collection of glucose levels, the regular transmission of that data to servers, the integration of communication between patients and health-care providers, and the integration of those functions within software installed on a portable device that can be carried in a user’s pocket.

With that in mind, answer the following 6 questions. You may need to do some additional research to fully address them.

Should the client-side software be deployed as a browser-based application or as an installable app? Explain. Be sure to consider such issues as client/server communication requirements and frequency, user-interface quality, and portability across devices and operation systems.

Which (if any) social networking capabilities might make a useful addition to the RTGM system? Be sure to consider the HIPAA requirements described for this case at the end of Chapter 6. More information can be obtained from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Web site (www.hhs.gov). In general, covered entities should do the following:

■ Ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all Electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI) they create, receive, maintain, or transmit.

■ Identify and protect against reasonably anticipated threats to the security or integrity of the information.

■ Protect against reasonably anticipated, impermissible uses or disclosures of the information.

■ Ensure compliance by their workforces.

Specifically, covered entities should implement policies, procedures, and technologies that do the following:

■ Specify the proper use of and access to workstations and electronic media.

■Regard the transfer, removal, disposal, and reuse of electronic media to ensure appropriate protection of ePHI.

■ Allow only authorized persons to access ePHI.

■ Record and examine access and other activity in information systems that contain or use ePHI.

■ Ensure ePHI isn’t improperly altered or destroyed.

■ Guard against unauthorized access to ePHI that is being transmitted over an electronic network.

3.       When recorded glucose levels generate high priority alerts, physicians or other health-care providers initiate direct contact with the patient. An ordinary phone call over the cellular phone network is one way to support direct contact. Because any client-side device used with the RTGM system must be fully Internet-capable, an Internet telephony application, such as Skype, is another possible way of supporting synchronous voice or video communication with the patient.

a.       Should Skype or a similar Internet telephony application be used with the RTGM system? Why or why not?

b.      If such an application is used, should it support video? Why or why not?

Data mining is an increasingly important technique for medical research. The ability to scan medical records of large numbers of patients over extended time periods enables researchers to better evaluate the effectiveness of drugs and therapies, more accurately connect disease risk levels to specific patient characteristics, and identify patterns of transmission or occurrence, progression, and treatment response for rare diseases and conditions.

What types of medical research might be enabled or better supported by the data collected by the RTGM system?

Would your answer change if the database were extended to include additional information that might be gathered from the patient’s mobile phone (e.g., location information when each glucose level was captured, size and content of the patient’s contact list, call history, and the volume of text messages and Internet browsing activity)?

Answer 1

the client-side software should  be deployed as an installable app on mobile phones or similar portable devices. Using these devices , we can measures and send real time information from a measuring instrument to the device via wireless radio frequency  etc. The application can be very user friendly (mobile phones allow graphical applications ,analysis can be done , alerts can be given for precautionary steps ,can send SOS , have video or normal call with the doctors etc).

3 Yes , Internet telephony application can be used for communication if high internet data availabilty is there as video telephony can help both the doctor and patient in many ways. For example the doctor can visually see the patient and his condition to diagnose the problem and the best way to handle the emergency , can also help the patient/ support to take emergency procedures like cpr by showing visually what to do , etc.

with all recorded information, data mining can model patients' metabolism, predict and provide the patient with short and long-term alerts. also data can be analyzed to extract patterns of behavior, discover new knowledge and provide explanations to the physician which will help him to prescribe personalized treatment plans.

Excess of everything is bad , and excess of information can result in blurring of patterns and incomprehensive analysis in data mining.