Will wifi infrastructure make a difference to meeting government

e-health goals?

Lucy FirthUniversity of Melbourne

2006 Taipei Digital Cities ConferenceTaipei, June 2006

E-Health policies (Taipei)

• Integrated healthcare resources

• Health information online – communication

• Check own personal health records

• Epidemic information and notification

• Check up on disadvantaged (e.g. elderly)

E-Health policies (Melbourne)

• efficient use of resources (such as removal of unnecessary administrative burdens, particularly for clinical staff)

• easy and pervasive availability of information at the right location, at the right time and in the right form to support decisions and associated activities

• transparent continuity of care underpinned by appropriate communication between discrete service providers

• use of new technologies to improve the quality and outcomes of care.

E-Health policies (generic)

Not simply a tool for conventional practice

• A tool to enable patient centered care

• A tool to promote health rather than health care (medical model)

• A tool to shift burden of care to community and to alleviate that burden through efficiency and effectiveness

Wifi and health policy

Recognition:

that healthy citizens are mobile, that illness does not necessary imply locational restrictions, that health workers need more than islands of technology, and that stakeholders are technology savvy in a world of pervasive technology

all suggests that wifi will bring benefits of anywhere anytime health support.

Self help/ Prevention

Acute Event(eg trauma, emergency)

Consultation Test DiagnosisTreatment

(in Hospital) Health Outcome

Mo

bil

ity

Is

su

es

Cli

nic

ian

Pa

tie

nt

WiF

i V

alu

e

Personal Remote Monitoring

Send: vitals/ location

Receive: advice/

feedback/ intervention

Home Visits

Submit: bookings/ checklists/ record changes

Access: patient file/

books/ schedules

Remote Consultation

Submit: Info requests/directions/opinion/bookings/ patient record

Access: patient file/ event info/

e-books/ online booking &

referral

Voice/ Data Communication

Page: other staff

Receive: location/

quickest route

Bedside Care

Submit:results/ messages

Access: records

- Increased patient satisfaction.- Reduced human error.- Reduced delay in accessing information.- Faster access to staff.- Increased coordination ability.- Improved in-hospital communication.

- Care and monitoring anywhere/ anytime.- Aging in place.- Patient centered health care.- Deinstitutionalization.- Prevention.- Operational efficiency.

- Care and monitoring anywhere/ anytime.- Aging in place.- Patient centered health care.- Deinstitutionalization.- Complete patient record & log.- Streamlined billing.- Operational efficiency.

Remote Consultation

Submit: event info (voice/data/video/image) upon request or direction

Access: clinical expertise

(synchronous/ asynchronous)

WiFi Access during Treatment

Submit: life outside the hospital

Access: life outside the

hospital

Patient’s clinical journey

Self help/ Prevention

Acute Event(eg trauma, emergency)

Consultation Test DiagnosisTreatment

(in Hospital) Health Outcome

Self help/ Prevention

Personal Remote Monitoring

Send: vitals/ location

Receive: advice/

feedback/ intervention

Home Visits

Submit: bookings/ checklists/ record changes

Access: patient file/

books/ schedules

- Care and monitoring anywhere/ anytime.- Aging in place.- Patient centered health care.- Deinstitutionalization.- Prevention.- Operational efficiency.W

iFi V

alu

eM

ob

ility

Issu

es

Clin

icia

nP

atie

nt

Consultation

Remote Consultation

Submit: Info requests/directions/opinion/bookings/ patient record

Access: patient file/ event info/

e-books/ online booking &

referral

- Care and monitoring anywhere/ anytime.- Aging in place.- Patient centered health care.- Deinstitutionalization.- Complete patient record & log.- Streamlined billing.- Operational efficiency.

Remote Consultation

Submit: event info (voice/data/video/image) upon request or direction

Access: clinical expertise

(synchronous/ asynchronous)

Mo

bili

ty Is

sues

Clin

icia

nP

atie

nt

WiF

i Val

ue

Treatment (in Hospital)

Voice/ Data Communication

Bedside Care

- Increased patient satisfaction.- Reduced human error.- Reduced delay in accessing information.- Faster access to staff.- Increased coordination ability.- Improved in-hospital communication.

WiFi Access during Treatment

WiF

i Val

ue

Mo

bili

ty Is

sues

Clin

icia

nP

atie

nt

Conclusion

Value of wifi is most apparent at three stages along the patient clinical journey

• Self help/health maintenance• Consultation• In hospital careIn the short to medium term, the benefit comes

mostly from health worker mobilityThe emerging pervasive technology society

and co-emerging patient-centered health focus suggests a growing role for wifi in health.