February 2001
INTRODUCTION
The theme for the UK eHealth Association in February was profile. I am
delighted to report that during the month we had three enquiries about telemedicine
from the published media, three invitations to take part in government meetings
on telemedicine and inquiries from both Sky Television and the BBC.
This is good news for all those involved in the Association
on two counts. Firstly, it is evidence that telemedicine is being taken seriously
by the media and government. Secondly, it demonstrates that the Association
is beginning to be recognised as an authoritative and influential body in
the fields of telemedicine, telecare and eHealth.
The trustees have been delighted with the progress of the Association over
the last year. As we enter the last month of this financial year we are beginning
to plan for further growth and development in 2001/2002.
An important aspect of our plans is the appointment of a permanent
chief executive. I am delighted to report that negotiations are well advanced
with a person who will add strength and depth to the team. I hope to be able
to bring you more positive news in the next newsletter.
In the meantime, I look forward to meeting many of you at the
next bi-monthly members' meeting in Manchester on Tuesday 13 March 2001. Further
details are included later in this bulletin.
Terry Dennis
Acting Chief Executive
The UKTA extends a warm welcome to the following new members:
Ulster Community & Hospitals Trust
Dumfries & Galloway Acute & Maternity Hospitals NHS
Trust
Kent & Canterbury Hospital
Surrey Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Weston Area Health Trust
West Kent Health Authority has signed a deal with BT Health
to ensure GPs in its area are at the forefront of the IT revolution sweeping
the NHS. The authority has chosen BT Health's Primary Connect managed IT service
to ensure it gets all 204 GP practices in its area online in an efficient
and trouble-free way. In addition to access to NHSnet, GPs will be able to
receive pathology results online and have the capacity to store Electronic
Patient Records and Electronic Health Records www.bthealth.com.
Motion Media has signed a Letter of Intent to purchase the assets
of C-Phone Corporation, a US company. C-Phone is a provider of video communications
technology and products to business, security, education and healthcare markets
in the US peter.range@motionmedia.co.uk
Ortivus UK Ltd has won a tender to supply the University of
Aberdeen with Mobimed Patient Informatic Systems and Hospital Workstations.
The mobile units will be located in Community Hospitals throughout the Grampian
Region of Scotland and data will be transmitted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
and Elgin Hospital to facilitate an improvement in the care of patients suffering
from acute heart attacks (myocardial infarction). The Mobimed was selected
so that patients could remain in their own locality and be treated by their
own local doctors following a heart attack. Local physicians can use Mobimed,
either in the hospital or in the community, to transmit sequential 12 lead
ECGs of diagnostic quality, trends, patient history and other important data
to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary or Elgin Hospital for a case discussion and decision
support. Mobimed is a complete and fully integrated end to end system which
is unique in transmitting these same data from moving vehicles if necessary
stuart.manton@ortivus.co.uk
The Diana Princess of Wales Hospital at Grimsby and colleagues
at Scunthorpe General Hospital are carrying out multi disciplinary team meetings
using video teleconferencing and digital imaging to support their cancer services
rather than have them travel a considerable distance to attend the meetings.
The videoconferencing system being used comprises of a Microscope, that can
be remotely controlled, for displaying digital pathology images, a document
camera for capturing radiology images as well as sharing documents etc and
a video conferencing system to transmit these and other images to the other
location. alan.fisher@nelincs-tr.trent.nhs.uk
Biodata Information Technology has unveiled its firewall content
filtering technology, "I-Watch". Through fully automated image and
text analysis, "I-Watch," uses a "Family Filter" to protect
children against offensive material such as pornography, violence and illegal
content, on the World Wide Web More information on the high performance "Family
Filter" technology and its powerful search mechanism is at www.visoo.de
The American Telemedicine Association has issued a briefing
about the changes in standards set by Joint Commission on the Accreditation
of Healthcare Organisations and health professionals using telemedicine: http://www.americantelemed.org/news/newres.htm
The first Global eHealth Conference will be hosted by the King
Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and will
be held from 5th -7th May 2001. This will be a high profile event with prominent
speakers, who are involved in eHealth in different ways from all over the
world. The International eHealth Association (IeHA) is being formally launched
at the conference and the UKTA will establish close links with the Association.
Email Scott Williams at info@eHealth2001.org www.eHealth2001.org
Kensington Publications is launching a quarterly publication
called the eHealth Journal which will be the official publication of the International
eHealth Association. In addition to the hard copy, there will be an electronic
edition on the Website. Dr Ricky J Richardson, Chairman of the UKTA has been
appointed Editor in Chief. We can expect the UKTA to feature prominently in
the Editor's column! susanmarshall@kenpubs.co.uk
A new guide for patients using the UK's National Health Service
includes advice about seeking information from the NHS Direct telephone service
or local pharmacists. The guide also includes general information about a
patient's rights and responsibilities, and highlights the standards and services
users can expect now and in the future from the NHS http://www.nhs.uk/nhsguide
The UK's NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) will publish
a new corporate plan by the end of February 2001 which will detail its approach
to e-commerce and set out how the agency plans to modernise NHS purchasing
and develop much closer links with both suppliers and NHS purchasers. http://www.medexonline.com/news/item.cfm?ID=728&source=Medexonline
The British Medical Association has warned that patients' rights
to privacy are threatened by sweeping new powers contained in the Health and
Social Care Bill. http://www.medexonline.com/news/item.cfm?ID=736&source=Medexonline
The Department of Health has negotiated to centrally purchase
the journal 'Clinical Evidence' http://www.evidence.org,
a compendium of best available evidence for clinical practice. The next two
issues will be widely distributed throughout the NHS, and from the summer
will be made available online through the National Electronic Library for
Health.
An article in the New York Times describes how handheld computers,
such as Palm Pilots, can help doctors save lives by giving them immediate
access to information. A number of e-health companies are developing other
applications for handheld devices that will let doctors do everything from
beaming prescriptions to checking insurance rules: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/08/technology/08HAND.html
Microsoft unveils Physician Digital Dashboard. Doctors can give
better care with a time-saving tool that synchronises information in one visible,
easy-to-read place: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2001/feb01/02-06healthcare.asp
The Government of Malaysia decided in 1995 to implement a fully film and paperless hospital using the latest technology. The 960-bed Selayang Hospital has now incorporated a total hospital information system built around an Electronic Medical Record System. http://www.federaltelemedicine.com/n020601.htm
USEFUL & INTERESTING SITES
NHS Executive document. Building the information core: implementing
the NHS Plan http://www.doh.gov.uk/nhsexipu/strategy/overview/index.htm.
The National Assembly for Wales document, "Improving Health in Wales: a plan for the NHS with its partners" http://www.wales.gov.uk/polinifo/health/health_e.htm
PUBLICATIONS
Maheu, M., Whitten, P. Allen, A. (2001). E-Health, TeleHealth
& Telemedicine: A Practical Guide to Program Start-up and Success Jossey-Bass:
San Francisco http://www.teleHealth.net/shop/index.cgi?product=3Dbook
Quality of Web-Based Information on Treatment of Depression:
a Cross Sectional Survey. http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/321/7275/1511
A descriptive feast but an evaluative famine: systematic review
of published articles on primary care computing during 1980-97 Mitchell E,
Sullivan F. BMJ 2001; 322 279-282 http://bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/322/7281/279
Public standards and patients' control: how to keep electronic medical records accessible but private Mandl KD, Szolovits P, Kohane IS, Markwel Dl, MacDonald R BMJ 2001; 322 283-287 http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/322/7281/283
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
*Denotes the first appearance of the date of conferences and
meetings
*Distributed Medical Intelligence Conference: High Tech for
High Touch in Next Generation Healthcare, 11-13 March 2001 in Breckenridge,
Colorado USA www.dmi5.net
tmtrain@mail.ecu.edu
UKTA Members Meeting Tuesday 13 March 2001 at the Conference
Centre Terminal 2, Manchester Airport monica@denwales.freeserve.co.uk
Telemedicine and Telecommunications: Options for the New Century.
13 – 14 March 2001 at the National Institute of Health William H Natcher
Conference Center in Bethseda MD. For more information www.tech-res-intl.com/nlm/telesymp/
or email: telesymp@md.capconcorp.com
*Internet Medicine 2001 A one-day conference for GPs at the
British Library, London, 14 March 2001 Applying the Internet to really improve
your practice. http://www.doctorsworld.com/bannerlinks/confbanner.asp
HC2001 Conference and Exhibition, organised by the Health Informatics
Committee of the British Computer Society will take place in Harrogate, 19-21
March 2001. For an information pack on how to submit proposals for papers,
satellite sessions and poster presentations email: hc2001-judy@amiconf.demon.co.uk
e-Health Asia - second Asian Conference on the eHealth Revolution
2-3 April 2001 www.medrecinst.com/conferences/asia/about.shtml
3rd International Conference on Advances in the Delivery of
Care - 'e-Health: A Futurescope' City University, London 4-6 April 2001. Email:
eHealth2001@city.ac.uk
e-Health Europe Maastricht 8-10 April 2001 at the Maastricht
Exhibition and Congress Centre http://www.e-health-europe.com
*Second Africa TeleHealth Conference will be held in Kampala,
Uganda 10-14 April 2001. Contact Ivan Semakuka at icslwanga@yahoo.com http://www.delphi.com/peaceportal
Drug Discovery Technology 2001-Europe will be held from 23 - 26 April 2001 in Stuttgart, Germany. This Congress provides market-led business information and technology breakthroughs for the European drug discovery market.
http://www.biospace.com/linkto.cfm?link=www.drugdisc.com/stuttgart/?source=bseu1
Using Information Management & Technology to Remodel Healthcare
Service Delivery. 27 April 2001, Imperial College London. Email: catherine@laingbuisson.co.uk
www.laingbuisson.co.uk
or tel: 020 7833 9123
*Global eHealth Conference 5th -7th May 2001 King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia www.eHealth2001.org or email Scott Williams at info@eHealth2001.org.
TEPR 2001 8-13 May 2001, Hynes Convention Center, Boston, Massachusetts
The eHealth conference for the latest developments in key technologies in
health information technology management www.tepr.com/
*The 6th International Symposium on Health Information Management
Research (iSHIMR2001), "Global e-Health: Information Management Issues
for the New Millennium" http://www.city.academic.gr/shimr2001/
from 24-26 May, 2001 in Halkidiki, Greece
American Telemedicine Association 6th Annual Meeting - Ft Lauderdale,
Florida, 3 – 6 June 2001 www.atmeda.org
6th international conference on the Medical Aspects of Telemedicine
Uppsala, Sweden 18-21 June 2001. For further information email:telemedicine2001@slu.se
www.service.slu.se/conference/telemedicine2001
Eighth European Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
1- 4 July 2001, Cascais, Portugal. http://centria.fct.unl.pt/conferences/aime01
UKTA Members Meeting Friday 6 July 2001, Southampton. Full programme
and venue details will be circulated in the near future
The Information Revolution in Primary Care -Using Health Information
Effectively in the Internet Age 16 July 2001, London. Ruth Hudson, CPHVA Professional
Officer Tel: 0207 939 7055 / 0468 931 312 hudsonr@msf.org.uk
Medinfo2001 – the informatics route to knowledge –
towards global health. ExCel Congress Centre, London 2-5 September 2-5 2001.
Call for papers now out on the website www.medinfo2001.org
Intelligent Data Analysis in Medicine and Pharmacology A Workshop
at the Medinfo2001 London, UK, September 4th, 2001 http://magix.fri.uni-lj.si/idamap2001
TEHRE 2001 11-14 November 2001 at the Cumberland Hotel, London.
For more information: www.medrecinst.com/conferences/tehre/index.shtml
*Telemedicine & Telecare International Trade Fair April 10-12, 2002. www.telemedicine.lu or email: info@telemedicine.lu
UK: Health Dept - Telemedicine Website Launched. Hermes (Govt
Press Releases) 16-Jan-2001
E-health Solutions: The Impact of IM & T on Healthcare Service
Delivery. A One Day Conference 27 April 2001, University of Westminster catherine@laingbuisson.co.uk
www.laingbuisson.co.uk
or tel: 020 7833 9123
Telemedicine in India konee@vsnl.com
UKTA members meeting programme and faxback monica@denwales.freeserve.co.uk
Medinfo conference details: jean@hcjean.demon.co.uk http://www.hcjean.demon.co.uk
DTI asks Keith Freeman to visit South Africa in early March.
If any members wish to have literature displayed at the workshops, or feature
in the catalogue (at a cost), please contact Dina Patel, Trade Promotions
Manager, South and Southern Africa Unit, Trade Partners UK. Tel: 0207 215
4874.
Internet Medicine 2001. A one-day conference for GPs at the British Library, London, 14 March 2001 Applying the Internet to really improve your practice. http://www.doctorsworld.com/bannerlinks/confbanner.asp
The success of the newsletter depends very much on you! We want
the newsletter to be a tool for you to raise awareness to other members of
the work in which you are involved. This might be the development of new clinical
services, telecare products or new initiatives.
If you would like to contribute to the next circulation please
email monica@denwales.freeserve.co.uk
with your information
Please forward this e-mail to other colleagues who may find it of interest.
Monica Dennis
Administration Officer
UK eHealth Association
Britannia House, 11 High Street, Cowbridge
Vale of Glamorgan CF71 7AD
Tel and fax: 01446 775189
Mobile: 0780 844 2079
Email: monica@denwales.freeserve.co.uk