A doctor on World Wide Web: a biomedical wireless Internet application

The paper describes an Internet application where a patient can request medical help from his doctor instantly. The system includes a doctor's personal Website and a low cost biomedical kit with which patient diagnosis input parameters can be transmitted using biotelemetry principles. Such a kit would be available with patients to sense data and send it to the concerned medical practitioner through the Internet; the patient can even interact through Webcam and video-conferencing, so that visual examination by the doctor is also possible. Discussion is limited to common symptoms. A business-to-business (BtoB) concept is also proposed; it includes direct contact with medical/drug stores/factories, clinical laboratories, other experts and also to emergency services through the Web. In all, an e-commerce concept can be developed where medical practitioners can establish contacts with medical/drug stores/factories to get the latest information for the doctor's Web ID. A concept of a medical call center or cyber public health care center is proposed. In developing countries like India, medical call centers can be developed and expert doctors from India and abroad can be made available to treat common and poor people. An e-learning concept is also discussed, where expert doctors can guide in delicate and important operations and surgeries; they can guide students too.