Wednesday 27 November 2013

Teki Doctor

Teki is a recent development in technology by company: Accenture that has successfully allowed thousands of people with xBox Kinect to visit the doctor from home.
The project was instituted after a noticeable increase in senior citizens placing strain upon the limited resources that the healthcare system provides, particularly in Basque Country, Spain and other parts of the world.
The software and subsequent devices allow patients with chronic conditions to quickly check in with their doctors through an xBox Kinect unit that is connected to the internet, consequently meaning reduced office visits that are often time consuming, as well as catching problems before they require hospitalization.

Users receive a wireless heart rate monitor that measures pulse, as well as a spirometer for the measurement of respiratory levels. They also communicate with their doctor through either text, call, or video call (which is most popular, and is the easiest method of effective communication). The interface also allows patients to complete symptom related questionnaires through gesture control as well as Kinects 3D depth sensing technology to determine whether they are performing rehabilitative exercises correctly.

The development of this has has a massive impact on both society and the healthcare business and has saved over approximately 55 million dollars as well as 52 thousand visits to the hospital.

This has meant that those members of Spanish society are able to get the check ups they need without having to leave the comfort of their own home; thus spending money on petrol and other travel expenses, and most importantly, it reduces the amount of time that both doctors and patients spend on both travelling to appointments (for home visits) and the time spent in the waiting room. It also means that patients that are unable to travel due to incapacitating illness, lack of time or money can still get the treatment that they require.

However, replacing real life visits with these Kinect ones may not be as effective, for the technology might not pick up on smaller illnesses that are hard to find unless thoroughly examined by a doctor. Patients may need further treatment which the technology might not pick up on, thus meaning the patient goes untreated.

The new technology also has had a very positive effect on the healthcare business: doctors are able to see more patients due to less time being spent on asking questions and prescribing medicine. It also saves a considerable amount of money on other expenses that are involved in appointments: they would no longer have to employ as many receptionists due to the systems capability for patients to book their own appointments (if necessary) online as well as being able to access their health records themselves. This would then mean that they could spend the money saved on improving healthcare services and buying more machines and revolutionary medicines etc.

It has also has a positive impact on Microsoft who were the co-developers of the technology which has kept them ahead of rival companies such as Sony - the makers of the Play Stations.



(put on subtitles)








No comments:

Post a Comment