This paper introduces a telemedicine innovation network and reports its implementation in Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The required conditions for the development of future projects in the field of telemedicine are also discussed; such projects should be based on the common needs and opportunities in the areas of healthcare, education, and technology.
The development of the telemedicine innovation network in Tehran University of Medical Sciences was carried out in two phases: identifying the beneficiaries of telemedicine, and codification of the innovation network memorandum; and brainstorming of three workgroup members, and completion and clustering ideas. The present study employed a qualitative survey by using brain storming method. Thus, the ideas of the innovation network members were gathered, and by using Freeplane software, all of them were clustered and innovation projects were defined.
In the services workgroup, 87 and 25 ideas were confirmed in phase 1 and phase 2, respectively. In the education workgroup, 8 new programs in the areas of telemedicine, tele-education and teleconsultation were codified. In the technology workgroup, 101 and 11 ideas were registered in phase 1 and phase 2, respectively.
Today, innovation is considered a major infrastructural element of any change or progress. Thus, the successful implementation of a telemedicine project not only needs funding, human resources, and full equipment. It also requires the use of innovation models to cover several different aspects of change and progress. The results of the study can provide a basis for the implementation of future telemedicine projects using new participatory, creative, and innovative models.
Innovations in information technology and the rapid advances of multimedia have made it possible to provide telemedicine services (teleradiology, teleconsultation) to patients suffering from chronic diseases [
Advocates of these new tools are well aware that the quality of patient care in areas such as emergency medicine and surgery, monitoring of high risk pregnancies, hypertension treatment, and so on is unsatisfactory. The low quality of patient care due to delays in diagnostic and therapeutic interventions and unnecessary tests and transfers can all be mitigated to some extent by the use of telemedicine [
Telemedicine can be defined in the three following areas [
Al-Qirim [
Telehealth focuses on patient information transfer beyond networks and the diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and training of patients via specific technological systems, which provide access to patient information and specialist consultation. In technical terms, telehealth consists of various tools and software solutions that enable healthcare providers to diagnose, consult, monitor, and train patients and customers who are physically inaccessible. In this regard, the efficiency of these tools and software programs as well as the compatibility of technology with healthcare applications and clinical methods are of great importance. Accordingly, there must be some kind of integration between the provided services and the protocols which are value-adding for both providers and patients. The innovation chain can be defined as follows: defining needs, creating demands, making tools, integrating tools with clinical protocols, and planning. Other motives which push forward technological innovation towards the development of third generation telehealth technologies and applications are summarized as follows:
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According to various researches, the main factors creating a demand for telemedicine are the inadequate distribution of medical sources in rural areas, inappropriate quality of medical consultation and patient referral in rural areas, and lack of proper collaboration between healthcare providers in rural areas and hospitals and medical centers [
The leaders of future markets will develop their organizations by creating a network of providers, which can add to their innovative capabilities. The acceptance of any participatory and official process requires the development of a sustainable innovation network. The characteristics of an innovation network are defined in five areas including connection, communications, focus, innovative activities, and value [
Accordingly, an innovation network in telemedicine has been designed at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The project's objectives are summarized as follows:
1) Codifying and implementing rapid development projects to design and create the first generation of a product or process,
2) Improving efficiency and flexibility of the innovation chain and saving time,
3) Identifying the distinctions between network members, focusing strategically on common innovation needs and opportunities and integrating and connecting scientific and operational sections to improve efficiency,
4) Developing new projects in the field of connection technology and merging and integrating the projects into medical industries,
5) Providing innovative solutions based on the latest updated technologies and newest scientific advancements and planning to communicate with various national projects to attract and direct current investments in telemedicine,
6) Planning to establish communication between the members, providers, and end consumers,
7) Managing and reducing risks in future telemedicine solutions.
The network includes all the aforementioned requirements.
The present study employed a qualitative survey using brain storming method. Brainstorming is a method of idea generation that can facilitate telemedicine projects by creating novel and practical ideas [
The process of developing the telemedicine innovation network in Tehran University of Medical Sciences is presented in this article. In addition, activities aimed to facilitate implementation of telemedicine projects are discussed. Prior to the formation of the telemedicine innovation network in Tehran University of Medical Sciences in March-April 2012, phase 1 of the project began. In this phase, all the active beneficiaries who had been working in the field of telemedicine in the University were identified. After analyzing the results of the last two conferences on e-hospitals and telemedicine, a draft consisting of all the innovations that were operable according to the country's current capacities and capabilities was prepared, and a telemedicine innovation network memorandum of understanding was codified. All the beneficiary parties signed the memorandum of understanding and made a commitment to implement all the specified provisions. Three workgroups were then formed with the collaboration of network members (phase 2). The services, education, and technology workgroups recruited their required members and held separate brainstorming meetings. Several ideas were presented during the brainstorming meetings held in each workgroup. The ideas which were similar in content and implementation were combined and clustered using Freeplane software. After the completion of the ideation and clustering phases, similar ideas were combined and presented in a new form. In the next phase, innovation projects were defined. Proposals were formulated and prioritized, and demand areas were determined. After that, investments were made, and projects were implemented. The process is shown in
In the services workgroup, 87 and 25 ideas were confirmed in phase 1 and phase 2, respectively. In the education workgroup, 8 new programs in the areas of telemedicine, tele-education, and teleconsultation were codified. In the technology workgroup, 101 and 11 ideas were registered in the end of process (
Thematic networks form the intellectual bases of innovation management. The main function of these networks is to encourage experts, university professors, industrialists, and businessmen to explore and discover scientific and technological gaps in medicine and other related fields.
The networks play a significant role in policy making and strategic planning with due regard to the diverse fields of science and technology. A thematic network can bring together those organizations that have common areas of interest. This is very helpful in discovering demands and required technologies in medicine and other related fields.
The studies show that telemedicine has been developed in four areas, namely, teleradiology, telepathology, telepsychology, and teledermatology; however, teleradiology has shown the greatest development so far [
In conclusion, the reported innovation network development model in telemedicine not only synergizes and forms innovation teams in specified areas, but could also pave the way for the implementation of future innovation projects. The model can also be a good example for the development of innovation networks in different areas of medicine and other related fields. By activating the network's process of idea finding, idea making, ideation, and idea clustering, the results were found, and the members who did not primarily have a clear view of the network's performance reached a common understanding of telemedicine through mapping ideas. Afterwards, workgroups were formed based on the combinations of ideas. After the results obtained from the combination of ideas were presented to the investor units, it was possible to form project teams and implement innovation programs.
In every project, a grant application must first be made. Then, the innovation project can be developed based on the required funding and the applicants' priorities. Medical imaging informatics and teleradiology are among the projects which are certainly going to enter the development stage. We will discuss the final phases of the process in future articles.
The authors are thankful to the researchers of Tehran University of Medical Sciences for their contribution to this research.