Children who live in rural areas can have a hard time getting to the doctor -- much less to an audiologist's clinic for expensive, complex tests to check their hearing. The result for too many kids is hearing loss caused by ear infections and other curable or preventable problems. That's why ear surgeon and TED Fellow Susan Emmett is working with 15 communities in rural Alaska to create a simple, low-cost test that only requires a cell phone. Learn more about her work and how it could change the lives of children who don't have access to hearing care.
1. Do you think, that mobile telemedicine can revolutionize access to care?
2. What in your opinion is the hardest part of spreading the mobile telemedicine around the world?
Source
https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_emmett_this_simple_test_can_help_kids_hear_better#t-267194
1. Do you think, that mobile telemedicine can revolutionize access to care?
2. What in your opinion is the hardest part of spreading the mobile telemedicine around the world?
Source
https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_emmett_this_simple_test_can_help_kids_hear_better#t-267194
Comments
2. What in your opinion is the hardest part of spreading the mobile telemedicine around the world?
I'm not sure about mobile telemedicine but it is definitely is a perfect technology to improve and promote into the medicine's future. However all the technologies need investments to develop and to step up. I don't know why but every time when i see a kid who has any kind of illness i started to feel responsibility that i must do something to stop the illness and that person. Unfortunately, we can't help everyone. So the hardes part of spreading mobile telemedicine around the world is the fact that there are not enough money or not enough influence.
I often use the telemedicine system, but only for the purposes of consultations regarding medicines or minor illnesses. Doctors themselves often encourage you to visit the facility. Additionally, the doctor can not prescribe antibiotics through such a system. Of course, such systems can support the detection of diseases and increase the awareness of patients about what may affect them.
Telemedicine systems are expensive and this is the biggest obstacle in popularizing such solutions.
The cost if probably the hardest part of spreading telemedicine. Granted, it is much cheaper than classical medical gear and setup. But we are not talking about places that already have access to classical medical points. We are talking about poor places with a difficult access, so even smaller prices are an obstacle here.
There are many factors which require to be resolved before this idea changes the way how the diagnosis work. The hardware as well as software that we produce tends to fail sometimes, and something as important as medical data can't really be inaccurate. Efficient devices would require stable internet connections, power source as well as money to buy them. I'm pretty sure that the obstacles that I've mentioned aren't all out there.
I think mobile telemedicine is already revolutionizing access to care. Smart bands, watches tick our gestures, heart rhythms and can predict diseases. But for third-world countries, it even more important, because doctors can do work that matters more than health testing.
2. What in your opinion is the hardest part of spreading the mobile telemedicine around the world?
It's not profitable, so the hardest part is to develop those tech, and spread it.
In my opinion there are always money problems when we are talking about implementing any technology to a large scale. It will be impossible to provide appropriate telecommunications infrastructure in all underdeveloped regions in Africa or Asia.
The biggest problem with spreading telemedicine is "How we get elderly people to trust us over a doctor appointment" Because that's their biggest market the elderly people which are not really into new technologies most of the time. Once the stigma attached to technology that's planted in the elderly peoples minds wears off, it might really take off.
Yes, yes and yes. In fact it would speed up the healing and rehabilitation processes for many people.
What in your opinion is the hardest part of spreading the mobile telemedicine around the world?
Smartphones and Internet by itself. In fact telemedicine should be based on the Big Data to catch up quickly the slightest illness.
I think that, just like with other technologies, digitalizing an important aspect of life can bring really good results, especially for the elderly and disabled. However, at the beginning it can have a lot of flaws, such as unreliable servers and networks.
2. What in your opinion is the hardest part of spreading the mobile telemedicine around the world?
I think that some parts of human life, that are essential to their well-being, health and security, are really hard to change. People are afraid to put their most valuable things in hands of a start-up, or an alternative product.
Yes, smartphones has a lot of precise sensors and work immediately sending data throughs the world.
What in your opinion is the hardest part of spreading the mobile telemedicine around the world?
Make it reliable in diagnostic and implement good ways to cure those disases.
What in your opinion is the hardest part of spreading the mobile telemedicine around the world? I think that the hardest can be part of implementing because it must be a huge system.
Yes. The technology is so advanced nowadays, so I think that it can be used to help.
2. What in your opinion is the hardest part of spreading the mobile telemedicine around the world?
I think that it is a big thing, and it's not easy to achieve that. But the technology showed us, that things like this are possible, so I am looking forward to see it.
The hardest part of spreading mobile telemedicine around world would be weak infrastructure in poor countries.
Yes, I think it's really good invention in medical care and numbers of sick people may decrease. At least people would have hope. But in the other hand, it's not 100%.
2. What in your opinion is the hardest part of spreading the mobile telemedicine around the world?
The problem is the ability of a person to afford such a device in some countries in Africa, for example. So I guess, It more depends on money.
Thank you very much for your opinion ;).
But I totally agree with you - if we only were given a chance, we should do it.
Thanks for comment!
Thank you very much for your comment!
Thanks for your opinion.
I see your point. Yes, for sure weak infrastructure makes it all harder.
Thanks for comment!
Totally agree with you about difficulties in poor countries.
Thank you!
About impossibility to provide appropriate telecommunications infrastructure - yes, for now it's unfortunately impossible. Let's hope, that it'll change in the nearest future.
Thank you!