title: Assessment and analysis of territorial experiences in digital tele-echocardiography.
abstract: Nowadays digital ultrasound-cardiovascular devices are able to send out directly digital images and films. Thanks to the large adoption of such devices, the echocardiographic world is facing new ways of exchanging images and collaborating. What we present in this paper is a review of the experimental projects carried in Lombardy, meant to support the work of specialists by means of second opinion and telemedicine services. On the medical point of view echocardiography is a widely used activity where operators are perfectly accustomed to do repetitive operations and steps. Tele-echocardiography (T-E) introduces new methods and technologies into stable and everyday medical practice, causing disruptions either on the side of the specialists' way of working or on the new opportunities and service. Introducing such a service means to properly model it in order to reduce the changes in the operators' way of working while maximizing the benefits. A proper method of modelling the operators' needs is then a key factor which must be correctly addressed. This paper will present some successful projects and the assessment procedure but it will also discuss a possible service modelling method, which has been adopted for the described experiences.
authors.affiliation: CEFRIEL, Politecnico di Milano, Via Fucini 2, 20122 Milan, Italy. enrico.frumento@cefriel.it
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frumento
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Masella
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zanaboni
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barbier
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cavoretto
mesh_terms: D044962:Data Compression; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D017146:Models, Organizational; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000639:trends*