Healthcare Applications for Clinicians - E-Healthcare Systems and Wireless Communications - page 57

3. WEB-BASED HEALTHCARE
APPLICATIONS FOR CLINICIANS

good standard, built for users who wish to check
if they have any symptoms of cancer via the web.
(Medicine 2.0, 2008) The main process requires
a resident in Ontario to go through an interactive
procedure on a touch-screen PC at a cancer centre
nearest to them. (Medicine 2.0, 2008) However
some users may not find it suitable to be physically
present a cancer centre for many reasons, including
transportation problems. Further, a client uncertain
of being a cancer victim may find it beneficial
to primarily take into consideration a test from
an authentic web based source, without having
anybody in their household to get worried. As a
solution to this, the ISAAC can also be accessed
online, where the same procedure takes place. The
idea is to enquire if the patients have any signs of
the 9 common cancer indicators, and how critical
those signs are. (Medicine 2.0, 2008)
The information entered by the patients is then
conveyed to and received, both by clinicians and
the CCO. (Medicine 2.0, 2008) According to clini-
cians who have been a part of ISAAC, using the
ISAAC at home is an enhanced way of approaching
cure, as it is commonly known that when in doubt
of being a cancer victim, it is best to report to a
doctor without delay. (Medicine 2.0, 2008) This
is because patient input through the ISAAC can
be accessed by clinicians almost instantaneously.
(Medicine 2.0, 2008) Instant feedback from the
patients helps them remember exactly how they
feel, which could possibly lead to a discovery of
new symptoms. (Medicine 2.0, 2008) Clinicians
are pleased with viewing patient information in the
form of graphs with respect to treating the patients
accurately, whilst examining the print-screens of
their progress over a period of time represented in
graphical notation. (Medicine 2.0, 2008)

3.1. Benefits

It is observed that a vast majority of the young
as well as the fairly mature individuals of today's
generation have reasonably good IT skills, as the
result of regular usage of computers and other IT
devices, especially when it comes to using the
internet and mainly, email. Patient-physician com-
munication through e-mails broadens the scope
from a physician's perspective and a patient's
perspective education-wise, challenge-wise,
interaction-wise and profession-wise. (Singh, H.
et al., 2009)

Source of Payment and Comparison

The internet is considered vital amongst clinicians,
as it is a direct means of trouble-free payments
of medical devices and equipment. (The Frabotta
Company, 2010) Physicians may simply browse
through various catalogues until they find the
perfect piece of i.e.: equipment. This would be
followed by paying for all the selected items in
their electronic trolley using a credit card. The
selected items would not take too long to be
shipped to the already mentioned premise. What
is more is that the owners of the clinical setting
would be required to use an automated internet-
based appliance to fulfil many transactions at once,
thus minimizing their administrative expenses.
(Guadagnino, C, 2008,) These appliances could
also offer real-time checks against prescription
providers and other forms of online medical as-
sistance.(Guadagnino, C, 2008,)

Interactive Symptom Assessment
and Collection (ISAAC)

3.2. Challenges

The internet is referred to as the world's largest
social networking tool (MacDonald) by many,
outshining all the other forms of interaction.
(Cain, M et al, 2000) The number of individuals

The Interactive Symptom Assessment and Col-
lection (ISAAC) is an online application designed
by Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) keeping up to a