MULTIMEDIA MEDNET - A MEDICAL COLLABORATION AND CONSULTATION SYSTEM

The authors describe Multimedia MedNet, a medical system that enables real-time monitoring and multiparty collaboration. MedNet combines neu rophysiological, audio, and video data in a remote diagnostic and moni toring system. Along with its predecessor, NeuroNet, it has been used on a daily basis at seven hospitals at the University of Pittsburgh Me dical Center since 1985. MedNet supports 1,600 brain surgeries per yea r in an exacting environment involving data types and manipulations th at are broader and more demanding than those found in a typical teleco nferencing application. Phase I MedNet incorporates digital signal pro cessing along with distributed systems tools for group communication, multimedia file access and storage, and software for manipulation and display of neurophysiological information. Communication control in Ph ase II MedNet is managed by a multimedia group process protocol called the Distributed InterProcess Communication System (DIPCS). MedNet act s as a multimedia command and control system. The authors discuss the implementation issues involved in Phase I and some lessons learned fro m their experiences with it. They then present their design plans for Phase II, including a detailed description of DIPCS. Finally, they pre sent an evaluation of Phase I and Phase II, and describe the challenge s that must be overcome to optimize Phase II implementation.