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most growing areas of interest for the researchers
in many countries (Tachkara, Wang & Istepanian
2003; Ganz, Istepanian & Tonguz, 2009). Mobile
healthcare IT (m-Health). Various examples of e-
Health and m-Health applications provide services
via information and communication technology
(ICT), and have already demonstrated the un-
limited potentials (Bashshur & Shannon, 2009)
through the following:
for the specific healthcare applications. By the
use of such applications (medical databases,
electronic health records, and routing of medical
information) medical services may be supported
in underserved locations, such as rural health
centre, ambulances, ships, aeroplanes as well as
home environment (Arnold, 2004; Shimizu, 1999;
Kyriacou, Pavlopolos & Berler, 2003; Maglogi-
annis, 2004; Vergados, 2007).
There are many examples of wireless health-
care information systems as explained in (Pat-
tichis, 2002), which were developed during the
last decade. For example, (Vergados, 2007) de-
scribes wireless healthcare information systems,
which incorporate several factors that should be
taken into account for data delivery in wireless
healthcare networks: availability, confidentiality
and privacy, data delivery latency, reliability,
QoS provision and mobility support (Istepanian,
Philip & Martini, 2009). Availability of resources
is absolutely imperative in e-Health networks,
because the generated traffic may be crucial for
the patients' health and life. Hence, authentication
mechanisms are needed in order to preserve the
confidentiality and privacy of the patients' data
(these mechanisms are beyond the scope of this
chapter). The reliable real time delivery of patient's
measurements is extremely important especially
in emergency situations. Another important issue
for wireless e-Health applications is the mobility
support. In the example of an ambulance, mov-
ing through different e-Health areas supporting
different e-Health applications, connectivity with
the medical centre and transmission of data can
be assured by different wireless technologies
(Vergados, 2007).
Clinical activities require telecommunications
and advanced information technologies as well as
research to improve health care delivery. Research
initiatives are mostly focused on the application
level, system design and QoS provisioning in
telemedicine. Little work has been done regard-
ing the interaction of QoS and mobile healthcare
(Vergados, Vergados & Maglogiannis, 2006).
•
Enhance health system efficiency, clini-
cal decision making, and prescription
ordering;
•
Increase the effectiveness of chronic dis-
ease management in long term care in-
stitutions, and especially in the home
environment;
•
Promote individual adoption of healthy
lifestyles and self-care.
Healthcare practice which is supported by
electronic processes and communications is an
evolving area of wireless communications. Hence
the issues of the service quality, efficiency of
connection, cost, and access to care (information
resources and professionals) are vital for e-Health
systems. The relevant services are considered
one of the fastest growing in the communication
networking sector.
Emerging Telemedicine
Technologies
In recent years numerous mobile healthcare
applications have been proposed (Istepanian,
Woodward & Richards, 2001; Istepanian, Lax-
minaryan & Pattichis, 2006). Traditionally, one
of the most important areas of the technological
development is in the medical sector. The use
of wireless standards is very important for the
information delivery in out-of-hospital incidents
because healthcare networks are expected to be
able to operate at any time, allocating the avail-
able resources and ensuring QoS provisioning
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