Home-based remote medical assistance

Abstract

A system for providing a patient with remote medical assistance at home a patient station () includes at least a remotely controllable patient video camera () and a patient computer () provided with means () for acquiring data from medical assistance appliances (), with relay means () for forwarding commands to the appliances, and with means () for connection to a telecommunications network (). A carer station () includes, at least a display screen () suitable for receiving images from the patient video camera (), and a carer computer () provided with means () for connection to the telecommunications network () in order to set up a call with the patient station (), means () for remotely controlling the patient station, suitable for remotely controlling the patient video camera () and for sending the commands to the patient computer (), and means () for use after remote control for monitoring and feedback purposes by displaying on the display screen () images supplied by the patient camera () and by transferring to the carer computer () data that has been transmitted from the acquisition means () of the patient computer via the telecommunications network (). The system is applicable to enabling patients to be cared for at home.