Latest Tandberg Codian IP GW 3500 Series Simplifies Video Conferencing Capabilities Between Companies and Their Customers
As organizations are turning to video conferencing to reduce costs and industry experts are projecting an annual growth rate of over 20 percent in video conferencing and telepresence system sales in the next five years, it is vital that businesses and individuals have the ability to easily and securely connect over video. In response to this growing need, Tandberg, a provider of video conferencing and telepresence solutions, has introduced version 2.0 of the Tandberg Codian IP GW 3500 Series, a fully interoperable solution that enables customizable, instant access between video conferencing endpoints from all major vendors.
The Tandberg Codian IP GW 3500 series is an innovative network device that enables individuals to call into an organization from any standards-compliant video endpoint and have direct video access to the information and people they need. Businesses can choose to implement automated menu systems or a live receptionist to connect with their customers or partners over video - very similar to how audio calls into businesses are handled today. This much more personal and interactive video communication experience is enabled by one main switchboard number for a company that can be distributed to vendors, customers and the public for easy access to predetermined departments or individuals within the company. Moreover, the user interface is completely customizable so a company can determine the look and feel of their callers' experience.
"Video communication has become mission critical for many companies and will continue to expand as globalization and economic challenges force businesses to seek solutions that can help reduce travel costs while maintaining productivity and collaboration. This growth in video conferencing has fueled increased interest in communicating with public video callers in a way that is user-friendly, manageable and secure," said Ira Weinstein, senior analyst and partner at Wainhouse Research. "The latest version of the Tandberg Codian IP GW 3500 makes internal resources accessible to external video callers without sacrificing ease of use or security."
"As organizations look to expand the functionality of their video investments through new applications and collaboration capabilities, they need solutions that allow for simpler access," said Peter Nutley, director of Product Marketing, Tandberg. "Most solutions require at least some system registration and configuration by IT, but the Tandberg Codian IP GW 3500 series is a highly scalable solution that doesn't require ongoing planning from IT to enable video users outside of the network to connect with you. It creates a seamless experience for callers that is as easy as making a phone call, but as personal as a face-to-face conversation."
The Tandberg Codian IP GW 3500 series features include:
- Up to 32 sub-menus for callers to navigate in the automated attendant
- Pre-recorded video in each of the 32 sub-menus for customers that have a Tandberg Codian IP VCR
- A customizable corporate look and feel
- Integration with the Tandberg Management Suite (TMS) to provide phonebooks and directories
- New capabilities for the live video operator, including the capability to screen and hold calls, as well as search TMS phonebooks to connect calls
- The ability to integrate with all major vendors' endpoints
- A flexible dial plan that can intelligently manage and route all incoming and outgoing calls
- High definition (720p) video resolutions with up to 30 frames per second
- Up to 40 simultaneous calls
The Tandberg Codian IP GW 3500 series is available both as a range of standalone devices and as a port-licensable blade for the MSE 8000 platform.
AllOne Mobile to Provide Army’s “Wounded Warriors” with Electronic Support System
In response to Soldiers returning home with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and other significant injuries, the US military is launching a pilot telehealth outreach program to better track their progress. Through AllOne Mobile, a health information management application provided by AllOne Health and secured by Diversinet Corp., a secure, two-way mobile technology will link Wounded Warriors recuperating at home with their case managers and unit support staff.
AllOne Mobile’s system will give injured service members access to case managers and other military personnel who will monitor and stay in touch with soldiers through personalized encrypted messages. Data received from soldiers will help to better personalize and monitor daily care. Initially, AllOne Mobile’s platform is anticipated to support the rehabilitation needs of up to 10,000 returning soldiers in a phased implementation over the next year.
“We are proud to be selected to help improve the care received by the injured men and women of the US Army,” said William C. Reed, president and CEO of AllOne Health. “By speeding the recovery of veterans with injuries, we hope to express our appreciation for their sacrifices made on behalf of our country. We are pleased these Wounded Warriors will share in the innovative benefits of AllOne Mobile, which we believe provides a compelling model for how to improve health care delivery in the US.”
AllOne Mobile offers robust security of patient data through a partnership with Diversinet Corp., a provider of secure application platforms for the mobile world. This high level of security and control gives users the confidence and comfort to create, manage and enhance their health information quickly and easily, simply by pushing a few buttons on their mobile phones.
AllOne Health will also connect AllOne Mobile with Microsoft HealthVault to enable subscribers to share health information about themselves and family members with physicians, hospitals, urgent and emergency care facilities and other trusted third parties. Coupled with AllOne Health’s programs and services to help keep employees, health plan members and their families healthy and safe, the initiative will empower individuals and can help improve medical outcomes.
Next Generation of Wireless Infrastructure for Patient Monitoring Secures Life-Critical Patient Data in Hospital Settings
Welch Allyn, a manufacturer of frontline medical products and solutions, has utilized next generation wireless infrastructure in FlexNet, a new HIPAA-compliant, real-time continuous patient monitoring solution for acute care settings. The new solution utilizes Welch Allyn’s exclusive 802.11a wireless radio technology in patient-related devices, and Aruba Networks’ adaptive wireless LANs as the communication backbone. The resulting system delivers improved immunity to dropout and interference, incorporates 802.11i / WPA2 security to ensure the integrity and privacy of all data, and can be shared among multiple vendors’ biomedical applications. Wireless patient monitoring affords hospitals more care and resource utilization options than wired telemetry alternatives.
“Welch Allyn FlexNet is what today’s health care IT professionals are demanding,” said Will Fox, senior group product director, Systems and Vital Signs at Welch Allyn. “With so many wireless applications converging on hospitals, from EMRs to infusion pumps, it is vital for patient monitoring to be on its own network. FlexNet enables our customers to deliver this kind of high-performance solution which, in turn, results in superior patient care.”
The revolutionary FlexNet technology allows real-time patient monitoring on a shared 802.11 a/b/g network. It can link multiple devices such as ambulatory wireless monitors and hardwired and bedside monitors to the Welch Allyn Acuity Central Monitoring Station, while also supporting comprehensive patient monitoring networks and providing improved noise tolerance and communication integrity.
Embedded in each of the Welch Allyn wireless monitors are the company’s own FDA-cleared 802.11a radio that uniquely meets the demands of patients and clinical staff. This exclusive technology supports fast roaming with key caching to protect against dropouts during patient ambulation and transports. It features 802.11i advance encryption standards to provide the strongest available network security protocol and its 802.1x multiple authentication certificates support HIPAA requirements. FlexNet consumes minimal bandwidth, allowing more devices to share a common wireless network and features low power consumption for industry leading monitor battery life. FlexNet can seamlessly co-exist with frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) on the same Welch Allyn Acuity Central Monitoring System.
“The Welch Allyn joint technology and marketing partnership with Aruba Networks enables the FlexNet system to seamlessly and securely operate on Aruba’s adaptive wireless LANs,” said Manav Khurana, Aruba’s head of industry marketing. “This collaboration ensures interoperability between the wireless network and Welch Allyn FlexNet devices and delivers the reliability and quality of service necessary to support critical patient telemetry applications such as continuous monitoring.”
Staff in the Tauranga Hospital Emergency Department in Tauranga, New Zealand are finding the new Welch Allyn monitoring systems have enabled them to offer a higher standard of care to their patients. There is a monitor in each of the 26 consulting bays in the department and patients have appreciated the non-invasive aspect of having their vital signs monitored.
“Our staff is very happy with the monitors and the way they free them up to get on with other treatments and interventions,” says Clinical Nurse Manager, Marama Tauranga. “The system is very user-friendly and the monitors have helped to make the department more efficient in terms of patient management and workflow.”
“FlexNet technology provides the security, scalability and performance our customers have been waiting for to meet the needs of a busy hospital setting,” said Fox. “This is yet another way in which Welch Allyn continues to provide caregivers and hospital IT staff with high-performance solutions that continue to put us on the front line of patient care.” |
Share Your Knowledge about the Industry in Web-Broadcasted Seminars
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What are the advantages to attendees? Attend technical presentations and training sessions and stay up to date with the latest industry best practices, as well as network with business colleagues without leaving your office.
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Health-Monitoring Technology Helps Seniors Live at Home Longer, MU Researchers Find
Many older adults want to remain active and independent for as long as possible. Seniors want to age in their own homes and avoid moving to institutions or nursing homes. University of Missouri researchers are using sensors, computers and communication systems, along with supportive health care services to monitor the health of older adults who are living at home. According to the researchers, motion sensor networks installed in seniors’ homes can detect changes in behavior and physical activity, including walking and sleeping patterns. Early identification of these changes can prompt health care interventions that can delay or prevent serious health events.
As part of the "aging in place" research at MU, integrated sensor networks were installed in apartments of residents at TigerPlace, a retirement community that helps senior residents stay healthy and active to avoid hospitalization and relocation. MU researchers collected data from motion and bed sensors that continuously logged information for more than two years. The researchers identified patterns in the sensor data that can provide clues to predict adverse health events, including falls, emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
"The ‘aging in place’ concept allows older adults to remain in the environment of their choice and receive supportive health services as needed. With this type of care, most people wouldn’t need to relocate to a nursing home," said Marilyn Rantz, professor in the MU Sinclair School of Nursing. "Monitoring sensor patterns is an effective and discreet way to ensure the health and privacy of older adults."
In recent evaluations, the sensor networks detected changes in residents’ conditions that were not recognized by traditional health care assessments. MU researchers are perfecting the technology infrastructure at TigerPlace as a model, so these technologies and supportive health care services can be made available to seniors throughout the country.
"Our goal is to generate automatic alerts that notify caregivers of changes in residents’ conditions that would allow them to intervene and prevent adverse health events," Rantz said. "Additional work is underway to establish these health alerts, improve the reliability and accuracy of the sensor network, implement a video sensor network and refine a Web-based interface to make it even more user friendly and meaningful to health care providers."
Tiger II, a 22-unit addition to TigerPlace, opened on Jan. 1. TigerPlace community residents receive health and wellness services through TigerCare, a service of the Sinclair School of Nursing. Residents receive care and services when they need them and where they want them - in the privacy of their apartments.
Through its university affiliation, residents can participate in a number of educational, cultural and research projects both on site and on campus that are conducted by the College of Engineering, School of Nursing, Health Professions and Medicine at MU.
The study, "Using Technology to Enhance Aging in Place," was presented at the 2008 International Conference on Smart homes and health Telematics. It was funded by a grant from the US Administration on Aging and the National Science Foundation ITR grant.
Medical Imaging Northwest Selects Compressus for Enterprise Interoperability
Compressus, a interoperability of disparate healthcare IT systems company, and Medical Imaging Northwest (MINW) have agreed to implement a single Enterprise-wide worklist solution, integrating digital imaging and data management systems at multiple sites in the Tacoma, Wash., area, including Diagnostic Imaging Centers, Good Samaritan Hospital and Allenmore Hospital.
Supporting 12 sites in Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Puyallup, Bonney Lake, Auburn, Covington and
Northshore in South King and Pierce Counties in Washington State with 23 board certified radiologists,
MINW reads and creates nearly, 350,000 diagnostic imaging exams a year. MINW selected Compressus to complete an Enterprise-wide integration of its disparate RIS, PACS, voice recognition (VR) software and workstation viewers by early 2009. Involving the installation of a spectrum of MEDxConnect System components, the implementation is designed to provide workflow and data management, workflow viewing, patient ID management and short term archiving requirements to support its service expansion goals of handling more than 550,000 diagnostic imaging exams a year.
“MINW provides diagnostic services to patients across a broad geographic area from a large number of our satellite sites and imaging center clients. The resulting system conflicts and manual data entry and workarounds impact our productivity and reduce our ability to get the right image to the right specialist, regardless of system or location,” said Andrew Levine, MD, chair, Medical Imaging Northwest, LLP. “The MEDxConnect solution emphasizes the electronic collection and distribution of DICOM and HL7 digital imaging data with the goal of providing MINW a workflow management and integrated diagnostic solution that improves productivity and helps us manage operational costs.”
The MINW implementation will emphasizes the electronic collection and distribution of DICOM and HL7 digital imaging data, including integrating with McKesson PACS for storage and retrieval transmission of imaging data to McKesson HRS and Kodak Carestream workstations and integration to the RIS either direct or through Cloverleaf. Another central component of the solution will be integrating to PowerScribe v. 4.8 voice recognition software for the generation of reports and addendums.
According to Dr. Levine, MINW’s clients will also realize greater efficiency and productivity as a result of the implementation. “The true benefactors of this implementation will be our imaging service customers and their patients. Automated pre-fetching of prior studies from disparate archives will result in better diagnostic services and fewer repeat or unnecessary exams. Combined with full integration with our McKesson PACS and multiple PowerScribe and voice recognition and dictation systems, this implementation will enable our radiologists to dramatically cut the turnaround time on reports and read more exams. Ultimately, we expect the result will be faster, more accurate and better patient care.”
The MEDxConnect System acts as a communications hub, enabling various PACS, HIS, RIS and other data information systems to connect and communicate across the Enterprise. Utilizing HL7, DICOM and other standards, the system helps control the flow of images, reports, messages, standard patient demographics and other important data for diagnosis and treatment planning of a patient between otherwise independent and disparate systems. The integrated imaging and data management solution from Compressus is designed to support a facility’s current and expanded workload and provide an infrastructure for sustained growth. Building the functionality required for remote connectivity, the system enables users to access diagnostic images and reports in the existing data stores at each facility, increasing the level of medical care while reducing the associated costs.
“Providing high quality and cost-effective teleradiology services is increasingly difficult as radiology practices battle both resource constraints and system connectivity conflicts,” said Janine Broda, chief marketing officer for Compressus. “MINW came to us with very specific goals for a comprehensive interoperability solution to support its high standards for quality patient care and aggressive business expansion goals. We look forward to working closely with MINW to achieve seamless connectivity across their complex network of disparate PACS, RIS, workstations and other healthcare IT systems.”
VivoMetrics Partners with Continua Health Alliance to Advance Telehealth to Improve Patient Care
VivoMetrics, Inc., the developer of LifeShirt – a continuous, integrated and wearable remote patient monitoring (RPM) system, will join the Continua Health Alliance, a coalition whose goal is to create an interoperable system of personal telehealth solutions that aim to foster independence and empower people to better manage their health and wellness.
The Continua Health Alliance is comprised of technology, medical device and industry leaders dedicated to connecting patients, doctors and treatments in new ways through personal telehealth. As a member of this team, VivoMetrics is wholly committed to this shared goal and is developing a next-generation LifeShirt to address the need for RPM of a population that is growing older and experiencing a greater rate of chronic disease.
“Through our partnership with Continua, we can help to advance a much needed system of personal telehealth devices that will work together,” said Howard Baker, president and chief executive officer of VivoMetrics. “As members, we can share in the development of design guidelines and product certifications that will help deliver on the promise of RPM to, as Continua puts it, ‘continuously protect and enhance health, regardless of location.’”
The convergence of many factors is driving the need for RPM. Baby Boomers and their parents are living longer and are demanding healthcare that can adapt to their active and independent lifestyles. Additionally, many of these older patients are living with chronic diseases that require high levels of care and ongoing monitoring. Numerous studies have shown that RPM has the ability to curb costs and improve outcomes of patients with chronic diseases, with estimated potential savings of $200 billion over the next 25 years in the United States alone Litan, Robert, Vital Signs via Broadband Health Monitoring Transmits Savings, Enhances Lives.
Advances in wireless technology and an expanding market for mobile medical devices enable healthcare providers to reach and care for patients in new and innovative ways. The ability to monitor patients in their homes or other real world settings can improve efficiency and reduce staffing needs at hospitals while improving patient care, particularly for high-risk patients with chronic diseases.
A comfortable, non-invasive and fully integrated “smart garment,” LifeShirt enables healthcare professionals and researchers to continuously collect laboratory-quality physiological data from patients in the real-world settings where they live and work. LifeShirt monitors vital life sign functions such as heart rate, respiration, posture, activity level and temperature which, when viewed in relation to one another, provide the most complete remote picture of a patient’s health and well-being available today.
Promising Future for Wireless Patient Monitoring?
In June 2008 the Bluetooth SIG approved the new ‘Health device Profile’ (HDP), which will enable the transmission of medical data using Bluetooth. The technology works closely with the IEEE 11073 protocol, which standardizes the format for medical device communications. This Bluetooth HDP profile and ‘Bluetooth Low Energy’, provides the industry with new opportunities to make crucial cost savings and improve patient care through remotely managed health services.
The new profile, HDP, created by the medical working group of the Bluetooth SIG, allows medical and health and fitness devices to transfer data remotely, in a secure and well-defined way, via Bluetooth technology. With the potential benefits remote management can provide to the medical industry going forward, an increasing number of silicon vendors, such as Stollman, Intel and Laird technologies, are investing in this industry.
The use of wireless technologies within devices such as heart rate, blood glucose and blood pressure monitors, aim to boost the quality of life for patients with chronic illnesses, allowing them more control when managing their condition. The opportunities for each technology will be driven by factors existent in the constantly changing market environment, such as the economy, the ageing population and the more ‘health savvy’ consumer.
These factors, influences and opportunities affecting the medical environment, will be discussed in detail in a report IMS Research are conducting, entitled ‘Wireless Opportunities In Patient Monitoring – 2009 Edition.’
Innovative Device Recognized for Design Excellence and Patient Ease-of-Use
Honeywell has won the 2008 Medical Design Excellence Awards (MDEA) for its Genesis DM remote patient care device. The Genesis DM won in the rehabilitation and assistive-technology products category.
The Honeywell HomMed remote patient monitoring device is well suited for both the patient and the medical professional, using text or voice prompts to guide patients through a series of yes/no questions that allow medical professionals to monitor and receive a thorough health assessment.
The Honeywell HomMed remote patient-monitoring device is part of the LifeStream Ecosystem and provides patients with an easy-to-use device for the home. The three-part LifeStream ecosystem, providing cost-effective care for patients at home, includes the patient-facing Genesis DM device, software applications and service. Patients suffering from a variety of chronic conditions, such as congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery disease, diabetes and hypertension, can use the Genesis DM device to assess their condition in the privacy of their homes. This information is transmitted securely over the Internet to their caregiver for monitoring and the appropriate intervention if necessary.
“When designing the Genesis DM, we listened to the ultimate customer – patients. Without more consistent patient use of telemonitoring, the delivery of telehealth cannot be optimized,” said Mike Benjamin, president of Honeywell HomMed. “We’re honored to receive this recognition and proud of the team at Honeywell HomMed who made this possible. Our focus continues to be ensuring chronically ill patient’s independent living with dignity for at an affordable cost.”
“It is very important to us to provide our patients and caregivers with the most meaningful information with regards to patient health,” said Terry Duesterhoeft, vice president of marketing and sales, Honeywell. “As we developed the Genesis DM, we closely evaluated the entire patient environment and discovered that the integration of all data (both objective and subjective) truly differentiated this product in the overall telehealth ecosystem.”
The Medical Design Excellence Awards, now in its 11th year, recognizes companies and individuals worldwide involved in the design, engineering, manufacture or distribution of finished medical devices or medical packaging. Entries are evaluated by a multidisciplinary panel of jurors with expertise in engineering, medicine, industrial design, manufacturing and other design- and healthcare-related fields. |
ATA 2009
More than 2400 attendees from all over the world are expected. Scores of new presenters will participate in ATA 2009, keeping your personal continuing education experience fresh and relevant. 
