U.S. Army Using Telemedicine For Healthcare ... Congressional Testimony by Colonel Ron Poropatich, M.D.

[CC-Conrad Clyburn-MedForeSight]

Colleagues,

As reported inInformationWeek ... The U.S. Army is using mobile technology to transmit health tips, appointment reminders, and general announcements to the cell phones of more than 300 wounded soldiers....

... The mobile phone-based secure messaging system called mCare is one of several innovative wireless technology solutions that the Army is deploying to improve the health of its employees....

..."Patients with mild traumatic brain injury are a target population for mCare," said Col. Ronald Poropatich, deputy director of the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command in Fort Detrick, Md..

... Poropatich outlined the Army's use of wireless technology last week at a hearing of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs subcommittee on health. He noted that since June 1, mCare has delivered 18,500 messages, with patients receiving a minimum of six messages per week ...

... Looking ahead, Poropatich told the committee that the U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command (RDECOM) is evaluating commercial handheld solutions such as iPad, iPhone, iPod, and other platforms and their applicability in a tactical setting. RDECOM has developed numerous handheld command and control solutions and is supporting the development and transition of MilSpace, a combined planning and social networking environment. TATRC is working with RDECOM to leverage U.S. Army investments in mobile technology and apply them to healthcare in the United States and in deployed settings overseas.


Read on at: http://www.informationweek.com/news/healthcare/patient/showArticle....

ENJOY!

CC