Saving the cost and energy by an interactive multimedia system with ISDN 128 Kbps for telemedicine

The telemedicine systems offer many potential advantages for health care delivery. In 1997, we implemented Phoenix, the interactive multimedia system of the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) for clinical application involving teleconsultations over a wide area for delivery of special care in emergency medicine at Tokai University linking with eight hospitals via the Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN) 128 Kbps. This study was designed to determine the potential saving of the cost and energy through the interactive multimedia network. By using the interactive multimedia system with some modifications, we achieved a satisfactory real-time contact regarding clinical matters. We believe that this network has allowed appropriate transfer of information between medical centers. This system has also significantly reduced the estimated cost for clinical meetings.