TeleRemCare
TeleRemCare, Implementation and evaluation of telemedicine in remote health care, was a joint project between the northern regions of Scotland, Finland, Sweden and Norway. The aim of the project was to exchange and disseminate experiences with telemedicine in sparsley populated areas.
TELEREMCARE was a project that includes the exchange of telemedicine expertise between districts with widespread populations in Scotland, Finland, Sweden and Norway. The project was funded by Northern Periphery Programme The aims of the Norwegian contribution are divided in four:
- To develop and demonstrate a wearable computer for use by General Practitioners
- To evaluate the economical impacts of telemedicine screening for diabetic eye diseases
- To evaluate the impacts of telemedicine screening for diabetic eye diseases in terms of users' satisfaction
- To develop a strategic plan with financial and organisational recommendations for implementing telemedicine screening for diabetic eye diseases to other regions of Norway
The evaluation was based on a telemedicine diabetes-screening project in Alta, a small city of 17,000 inhabitants, situated 400 km north of Tromsø. A cost minimisation analysis has been made as well as a study on users' satisfaction.
A system specification for the wearable computer has been made. A market survey for existing mobile medical equipment has been performed and a design for demonstrator of a wearable computer has been developed.
Under the auspices of Teleremcare 2000 (second phase of the project) a study on large scale services was made on the basis of the previous findings. A wearable computer has been developed and demonstrated for use by General Practitioners.