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. 2009;15(8):377-82.
doi: 10.1258/jtt.2009.090309.

A multi-institutional mobility model for regional deployment of Telesynergy telemedicine systems

Larry L Schenken  1 , Dwight E Heron, Cheng B Saw, Julian W Proctor
Affiliations

A multi-institutional mobility model for regional deployment of Telesynergy telemedicine systems

Larry L Schenken et al. J Telemed Telecare. 2009.

Abstract

The Telesynergy workstation is a remote medical consultation system that provides medical staff with the means to collaborate with one another on cancer research and treatment. There are about 25 systems in use around the world. In order to share the equipment with five community hospital partners in Western Pennsylvania, we designed and implemented a transport system for the workstation. Small groups can be accommodated within the trailer and larger groups can participate inside a building when the system is offloaded at a suitable site. We designed special transport cases for the main components and chose a trailer suitable to move them by road. The transport cases were secured by inexpensive, ratchet style tiedown devices made of woven nylon webbing with steel end hooks. Calculations suggest that these restraints are sufficient to protect the equipment in a 48 km/h vehicle collision. During the first 12 months, we moved the trailer more than 700 km without system damage. Mobile videoconferencing seems to be successful on both environmental and cost grounds.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) A general view of the Telesynergy remote consultation system. Note the three basic workstations: the first is on the left, the second is in the centre under the plasma screen and the third is on the right. (B) an accessory computer for videostreaming conferences to websites, a document camera for viewing films and other images, a laptop computer to access remote desktops or medical imaging websites on intranets, a DICOM monitor and a digital printer. (C) the central communications workstation for managing videoconferences and switching between image sources (the right hand monitor shows self-view while conferencing). (D) the workstation for photomicroscopy and an X-ray film image scanner
Figure 2
Figure 2
Rear view of the trailer after loading at UPMC McKeesport Hospital. The rear door of the trailer (within the black edges) folds down to form a loading ramp. In the ramp position, equipment can be loaded or unloaded easily. Opening and closing the door requires only one person because the weight is counterbalanced by heavy springs at the side. Note the vehicle’s high ground clearance
Figure 3
Figure 3
(A) View towards the rear of the trailer showing auxiliary lighting. (B) interior view of the trailer, looking towards the front. The small screen monitors are strapped to the workbench. The microscope case is strapped to the floor. (C) interior view, looking towards the rear. The plasma screen case has been strapped into place prior to blocking. (D) the microscope case tiedown system
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. National Cancer Institute. Cancer Disparities Research Partnership Program. See http://www3.cancer.gov/rrp/CDRP/index.html (last checked 27 June 2009)
    1. National Institutes of Health. Overview of Telesynergy. See http://telesynergy.nih.gov/overview.html (last checked 27 June 2009)
    1. National Cancer Institute. Telesynergy v3 Current Component List. See http://www3.cancer.gov/rrp/CDRP/telesynergy_components.html (last checked 27 June 2009)
    1. Murdock J, Jaffe ES, Wilson WH, McManus DT, Alexander HD, Morris TC. Aggressive natural killer cell leukemia/lymphoma: case report, use of telesynergy and review of the literature. Leuk Lymphoma. 2004;45:1269–73. - PubMed
    1. McAleer JJ, O’Loan D, Hollywood DP. Broadcast quality teleconferencing for oncology. Oncologist. 2001;6:459–62. - PubMed

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