Home Telemedicine System for Rural Technology Dependent Children

The proposed system remotely monitors chronically ill, technology-dependent, pediatric patients at their homes in rural areas in order to reduce hospitalizations. Technology-dependent children are more frequently affected by life-threatening illness than the general population and require specialized care to facilitate recovery and rehabilitation. Improved technology that aids in the care of these children at their homes can have a significant impact on the cost and quality of healthcare services. Early intervention may mitigate the development of more severe illness that would likely require inpatient hospital care. If a condition is not identified early, it can quickly become an emergency that requires very complicated emergency transportation (helicopter) to a PICU in a major city hospital.