Telemedicine is one of the most beautiful
applications of satellite communication. In general terms, telemedicine can be
defined as the application of information and communication technology to
provide clinical health care from a distance. Telemedicine can make use of
traditional terrestrial telecommunication technologies (telephone, GSM, cable,
optical fibre) but it can also make use of satellite telecommunication to allow
for health care in very remote places. In this way, patients and doctors in
remote places can consult more specialised doctors in larger centres where all
required expertise is available.
To give an
example, millions of people live in the vast delta of the Ganges and the
Brahmaputra river, mostly in boats along the shores of small islands. Hospital ships
can sail around in a particular area to provide the local people with hospital
services. These hospital ships are usually manned by a limited staff of doctors
and nurses. It is impossible for these hospital ships to have a specialist on board
for every possible medical problem. Therefore these ships are now being
equipped with parabolic antennas and satellite modems so that ship doctors can
get in touch with other doctors, hundreds of kilometres away. More advanced telemedicine
also allows for robotic surgery from a distance, as well as consulting of learning
systems based on large databases of processed patient records.
On
September 26th, the church commemorates Cosmas and Damian,
twin brothers and doctors in the Middle East in the second century. They became famous in their time, taking care of
the poor and refusing all payment for their services. Even if this is only a typical Christian legend, it is a nice image. Nothing is more noble than taking care of the impaired fellow human being. Today, this care requires more than ever collaboration between doctors and engineers. Cosmas and Damian can rightfully be considered patron saints
of medicine and telemedicine.
