Challenge2

Challenge 2
Often, treatment in the province is // delayed because of the time // required to get the patients to Oobunta hospital and also because of the // lack of medical knowledge about unusual cases //. In some instances this has led to the death of patients. What IT systems could be used in overcoming these knowledge-based problems? How can the key decision-makers acquire more knowledge about the patients' conditions? How much of a patient's diagnosis and care be delivered via IT channels there by alleviating the need for travel?

Rebecca Toby Christina

Challenge 2Often, treatment in the province is delayed because of the time required to get the patients to Oobunta hospital and also because of the lack of medical knowledge about unusual cases. In some instances this has led to the death of patients. What IT systems could be used in overcoming these knowledge-based problems? How can the key decision-makers acquire more knowledge about the patients' conditions? How much of a patient's diagnosis and care be delivered via IT channels there by alleviating the need for travel? Helicopters can be used to bring medicine over for patients. Doctors can also be taken by helicopter to hospitals or remote towns for fast transportation. This would help because it would make transportation faster and doctors who know what they are talking about can be flown in from places far away from where the patient is. An IT system that can be used is a webcam. This would be good because the doctor can see the patient and tell the doctors on the other side what to do. This is also beneficial because one doctor could be in the United States while the other doctor could be in Africa with the patient that is sick. This allows lesser trained doctors to be coached by highly trained doctors adding years of expertise and experience. IT communication tools can be used to make waiting doctors more aware of the situation they will be presented with when the patient arrives at the hospital. Satellite connected and solar powered phones allow critical patients away from cities to contact hospitals and receive aid. Once the patient is in the transport vehicle, that vehicle can communicate with the hospital and prepare them for the case. Expert systems can be used to store and diagnose illnesses. Doctors can identify and enter a patients symptoms into the database and the expert system will scan and identify illnesses that have the presentable symptoms. Cameras can be used with picture databases to identify rashes and physical damage. Vehicles can be equipped with webcams and microphones so that the transport team can treat the patients on site. A doctor can just advise. Robotic arms may even be used to perform complicated operations with out experienced doctors on hand. The arms can be controlled via the internet from a different place.