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fire departments have been reported to possess several ineffi- ciencies based on the TriData Corporation 2005 report. 800
MHz signal band for safe public radio communication has been implemented by the Federal Communications Commission
FCC so that it does not interrupt the commercial broadcast signal and to reduce the spectrum from overcrowding and to
prevent interference. However, the fire department uses differ- ent radio channels and interoperability becomes the main prob-
lem. Therefore, the question arises whether to standardize the communication system used by the fire department.
At a glance, satellite communication may fit the best since it has good coverage and perforation criteria. Satellite phone is a good
solution for conventional communication with the offsite sup- porting team and the accuracy of determining the location prior
to rescue is less demanding. Positional precision of global posi- tioning system GPS that is aided by satellite varies on many
factors such as position of the satellite and the dilute of preci- sion DOP that is caused by nearby buildings. GPS is accurate
up to a radius of several meters. So while carrying out a rescu- ing mission, a precise location is important than the range of
location provided by GPS. GPS can generate a wrong analysis and mislead the rescue team to go to the wrong floor of the
building and waste precious time. Thus satellite communication is an improper remedy for fire rescue.
Another solution is radio frequency identification RFID for short range path recognition and marking which creates auto-
matic visible marking along the route used during the mission. The technology used need to be fulfil certain criteria such as
being lightweight and user friendly, accurate tracking of loca- tion, able to penetrate through an array of materials liberally
used in the construction of buildings and has the ability to with- stand heat. Till today no single device has the technology to fa-
cilitate all the aforementioned criteria. Incorporating different
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solutions available but simultaneously being aware of the high level of interoperability is the most practical option.
We have reviewed three challenging circumstances for the res- cue mission. Each of them has its own limitation and require-
ments. However, the common feature between them is the ease of the task and dependability. Technological development that
happens in different types of communication tools and networks has enabled better wireless system to be developed and integrat-
ed to meet the growing need in the future and current usage. This will also help in the success of rescuing missions in critical
situations.
3.4 At the Hospital
In the past few decades, the development of information technology has enabled a lot of automated and safety features to
be used in the hospitals. IT has made a lot of improvements to the way a hospital manages its operation. An example of how
the six distinct areas of IT results in a significant difference to a hospital has been discussed by Felt-Lisk 2006, schoenman et
al 2007, abdekhoda et al 2013. Since there is a wide range of possibilities whereby IT applications can be used in healthcare;
it is impossible to include everything in a volume. Therefore, we shall focus on how communication technologies can aid to
improve the condition in a hospital by briefly studying a case recorded in a magazine article named ‘The Digital Hospital’ by
Mullaney 2006,terhune et al 2009. Then we will review in detail the role of telemedicine in the daily operation of specific
departments of a hospital. For a start, this article documented a case whereby a physician was given an automatic warning after
he asked to dispense a drug. The information system has discovered a possible the risk that may occur if this particular
drug is taken together with another drug which has been prescribed earlier for the particular patient. As the physician had
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received a quick alert, a different drug was prescribed to avoid the possible risk. This is one case whereby the timely delivery
of data saved a life.
The article also related about physicians who can remotely examine X-ray images and control a robot inside the hospital.
Through telemedicine, all these tasks and many other became made possible. A hospital which provides complete healthcare
services may consist of numerous departments with a central administrative unit. A simplified version of a few departments
placed in a single complex of a typical hospital that is connected by information sharing and co-ordination network is shown in
Figure 3.7. Apparently each department has different prerequisites on the type of information processed and
prioritisation of data retrieval. As example, Accident Emergency department need to get information about patients
who are injured and need emergency treatment quicker than the Pediatrics department which is performing a general healthcare
check up. Both these departments are involved in obtaining medical history of patients and updating new information. It is
different for both departments in term of the tolerance to delay and the ease of examining the medical history. Section 3.2 has
discussed the role of telemedicine enhancing the effectiveness of the Accident Emergency department by updating the
surgeon with the needed information about an injured patient even before the arrival of the patient. Now we shall examine
another three example that proved that communication technology lends a hand in saving lives and costs.
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Figure 3.7 networking system in the hospital
FONG et al 2011 Below are three examples on the importance of telemedicine in
a hospital based on different situations:-
¾ Measures that saves cost, coupled with timely and accurate info in radiology.
¾ Robots for surgery accurately controlled. ¾ Efficient detection of new born babies to prevent
wrong identification. These exemplars are chosen to demonstrate distinct sets of wire-
less communication applications such as remote sensing, quality assurance and surveillance. Many other situations with very
similar basic technologies can adopt telemedicine.
3.4.1 Radiology Detects Abnormality and Cancer
Radiology is imperative for early treatment and diagnosis as it will safeguard that the surviving chances will be higher. In this
application, communication between the staffs and the patients are important. Thus, telemedicine has expanded to more than
the hospital network. A delay in receiving correct information may result in delay in treatment. This may cause legal
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repercussions. Radiology interprets medical images with precision. Explanation given by a doctor is a significant aspect
of communication between the patient and the doctor since patients usually cannot understand the images by themselves.
Due to that, reports are attached together with the images. A block diagram of the information contained in a radiology
report is shown in Figure 3.8. To deter the chances of unauthorised access and modification of info, permission shall
be given to hospital personnel involved only.
Figure 3.8 Radiology information systems FONG et al 2011
In this system, the patients will automatically receive an SMS Short Message Service text message as a reminder of the
forthcoming scheduled check up. A RFID card will automatically notify the Radiology Department representative
about the arrival of the patient and the electronic patient record. Besides, it will be used for tracking. Results obtained are
analyzed by the hospital information system so that any appropriate actions can be taken. Images and radiological data
can be stored in separate databases. Cost saving is a major objective of effective communication since proper delivery of
information can cut cost as mentioned by Brenner 2005, singh et al 2007, hardeep et al 2008 that the cost of a
miscommunication can reach US 200 000 per case. Thus,
