A preliminary report of the virtual craniofacial center: Development of Internet-Intranet-based care coordination of pediatric craniofacial patients

The authors present preliminary information regarding the development of an Internet-based Virtual Craniofacial Center that provides access to a patie nt database with visual and textual data, Patients are photographed by digi tal camera with standardized images, Through a Web site linked to a remote database, patient demographics, management data, reports, and acquired digi tal photographic images are stored and retrieved. The database can be used to sort and to present data as desired by multiple specialists. Confidentia lity is maintained by unique identification numbers and password access to the server for craniofacial team members. The current system uses economica l equipment (i.e., digital camera, personal computer with modem, and access to a remote Windows NT-based server), using data that can be entered in a variety of cross-platform personal computer systems and transmitted on a wi de range of bandwidths-from a relatively low-bandwidth (28.8 KB per second) modem to a high-speed T-3 line connection. Long-term goals include archiva l data storage and analysis, as well as the development of multicenter tele medicine links for active craniofacial centers.