eHealth software?

Dboy85

Has anyone worked in this field? My interpretation of the field is biotechnology but has anyone any information on the demand for eHealth and popular project examples?

BostonB

Did you read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/eHealth

Seems like its another trendy buzz word for medical software. Pretty wide ranging if you ask me. As such I have, but for a development POV it was no different from any other development. Other than the regulated side.

srsly78

Yeah it's the same as everything else, just with strict (er) regulations about keeping peoples records private etc. Same as with law-related systems.

Biotechnology/Bioinformatics is a totally different thing, with scientists using computers to model protein/dna etc.

BostonB

I don't really understand what hes looking for tbh...

Dboy85

srsly78 wrote: »

Yeah it's the same as everything else, just with strict (er) regulations about keeping peoples records private etc. Same as with law-related systems.

Yeah the projects seem to based on aiding the elderly with rehabilitation both body and mind. I just had a mental block around the eHealth buzz word.
They're taking me on as a graphical developer because of the games development background but I hadn't a clear interpretation of what they did.
They just said "eHealth" and I pretended to be an expert
Its in research so I think it'll be interesting.

srsly78

Ah right, so like Wii games to help people keep fit? Bah that's game development, ehealth my bollix

Seth Brundle

I've developed a system that allows homecare nurses to log appointment and visit details on a handheld (Motorola Symbol) and sync it with a centralised web based system. If that's eHealth then read on, otherwise ignore!

The handleld system has a number of features e.g. lone worker alarm that sends an SMS to a call center should certain buttons be pressed. The system also allows offline data entry (as not all areas covered by the nurses would have mobile coverage).

All systems had to be checked by the companies head office and the website (ASP.net & MS SQL 2008) was subjected to a few different & rigorous security tests.

All in all, it is a good system but was a bitch to get done! I was chuffed to hear from the client that it had been nominated for some health award (the idea rather than my hard work ).

I've since been asked to look at the specification docs for similar projects (by other development companys (one specialising in this area)) and to be honest, they were absolute crap!

Dboy85

I think that's primarily what the crowd I'm heading to work at do.

I worked previously in the security industry as an installer of intruder alarms, cctv, access control and panic monitors for the elderly and they seemed as interested in this as they were in my academic abilities. I think all in all I may be doing more of what you described than the game development carrot they dangled but I'm fairly easy as long as I get an input into design stage.

I have a few ideas regarding motion tracking and thermal sensors for a system for the elderly so maybe they'll just leave me alone and get me to build it for them.

Best bring a soldering iron if so :cool:

Seth Brundle

With development jobs in our place, we always joked if there was an issue that "nobody died". With a patient focused system, this is a potential risk.
Make sure any design document covers every aspect (including users that know and understand the system still not doing things the way they have to)!