Looking for a top-notch online education, but don’t know where to start? Fear no more. At bestcollegesonline.com, you are free to view our rankings of the best online colleges in the U.S. and find degree programs that meet your needs. All of our listed colleges are accredited institutions that offer reliable degree programs for a reasonable tuition rate.
There are tons of online schools that claim they have the most affordable tuition rate, fastest degree plans or the most programs, but the truth is many of them do not practice what they preach. The schools we rank have shown their success by the growing number of students who enroll every year.
With so many online colleges to choose from, it can be difficult to know which one is best for you. But, taking the time to review our school rankings and research each college will save you time and money. Choosing the right college is an important decision and one that we want to make easier for you.
Ashford University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Ashford University provides working adults an excellent place to pursue a secondary or uncompleted degree. Ashford’s programs are affordable and flexible and an excellent place for students to learn at their own pace.
Kaplan University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. As one of the largest online universities with a widely recognized name, Kaplan University offers a myriad of campus and online programs for both full-time and part-time students looking to efficiently advance their career.
University of Phoenix - Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's & Doctoral Degrees. University of Phoenix is dedicated to providing high-quality education and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. University of Phoenix offers both on-campus and online learning programs that fit individual scheduling needs.
Capella University - Master's & Doctoral Degrees. Capella University is an accredited university that offers several career programs and degrees in Psychology, Business, Accounting, Finance, Education and Technology. Capella is dedicated to its vision of online education that offers flexible and interactive programs for lifelong learners.
American InterContinental University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. American InterContinental University has been educating students for over 35 years at campuses around the world. AIU is an accredited university that provides students with the skills needed to compete for today’s fastest-growing jobs and industries.
Colorado Technical University - Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, & Doctoral Degrees. Colorado Technical University looks forward to educating full time professionals or first time college students. Colorado Tech is a well respected educational institution with a plethora of affordable degree plans.
Walden University - Master's & Doctoral Degrees. For over 35 years, Walden has been committed to making a positive social impact on the world. This accredited institution is ideal for students who want to make a difference and engage in real-world learning at the same time.
Liberty University - Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. Liberty University is the largest evangelical university and offers numerous online programs to assist students in reaching their career goals.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Accredited Online College Degrees
Discover the advantages of earning your degree online through top online colleges and universities. The Accredited Online Colleges website provides you with information on hundreds of online degrees through accredited colleges and universities. Get started today on the road to a brighter future with an accredited degree online.
You can earn an online Associate, Bachelor, Masters, PhD, or Doctorate degree through these top accredited universities. Click on the following links to receive complimentary information from each online college. Or, find out more about the online accredited degrees they offer by clicking on Online Degrees.
Advantages of Accredited Degrees from Online Colleges & Universities.There are many advantages to obtaining a college education through accredited online colleges and universities! Here are just a few:
You can earn an advanced degree that can lead to an increase in salary.
You save on child care costs since you don't have to leave home.
Online colleges require little or no commuting, saving time and money.
You can complete your course work when it is convenient for you.
Online colleges offer easy access to your teachers, other students, and the library since they are only a click away.
The Importance of Online Degrees from Accredited Online Colleges & Universities:
In the midst of today's "diploma mills" that offer you phony degrees in just 2 weeks, making sure that online degrees are accredited has become more important than ever. Accreditation is a process of school approval. In order to gain accreditation, online colleges and universities are reviewed thoroughly over the course of several years by an outside agency that holds the colleges and universities to a set of standards and then determines whether the colleges meet those standards. Because accreditation is such a difficult (and costly) process to go through, it's a good way to differentiate between legitimate colleges and universities versus fly-by-night colleges or "diploma mills".
Earning an accredited online degree from a top college or university will ensure that your hard work will be treated with respect by potential employers. Because a phony, non-accredited degree could be considered worthless in the working world, it is critical you are only researching online colleges and universities that have gained accreditation in your educational search.
Feeling confused? Relax. All of the degrees featured on our site are accredited. We have done the research for you!
Studies on Online Accredited Degrees: Numerous studies have proven that students obtaining online college degrees from accredited colleges and universities perform as well or better than their on-campus counterparts. The book "The No Significant Difference Phenomenon" by Thomas L. Russell cites 355 research reports, papers, and summaries dating back to 1928 that found no significant difference between an online college education and in-class learning. Where a difference was identified, it generally favored the student obtaining an online accredited education from an online college!
An extensive study conducted by the University of Phoenix comparing its own campus-based students to its online college education students came to the same conclusion. In addition, it identified the current online format as the most effective vehicle for distance education.
You can earn an online Associate, Bachelor, Masters, PhD, or Doctorate degree through these top accredited universities. Click on the following links to receive complimentary information from each online college. Or, find out more about the online accredited degrees they offer by clicking on Online Degrees.
Advantages of Accredited Degrees from Online Colleges & Universities.There are many advantages to obtaining a college education through accredited online colleges and universities! Here are just a few:
You can earn an advanced degree that can lead to an increase in salary.
You save on child care costs since you don't have to leave home.
Online colleges require little or no commuting, saving time and money.
You can complete your course work when it is convenient for you.
Online colleges offer easy access to your teachers, other students, and the library since they are only a click away.
The Importance of Online Degrees from Accredited Online Colleges & Universities:
In the midst of today's "diploma mills" that offer you phony degrees in just 2 weeks, making sure that online degrees are accredited has become more important than ever. Accreditation is a process of school approval. In order to gain accreditation, online colleges and universities are reviewed thoroughly over the course of several years by an outside agency that holds the colleges and universities to a set of standards and then determines whether the colleges meet those standards. Because accreditation is such a difficult (and costly) process to go through, it's a good way to differentiate between legitimate colleges and universities versus fly-by-night colleges or "diploma mills".
Earning an accredited online degree from a top college or university will ensure that your hard work will be treated with respect by potential employers. Because a phony, non-accredited degree could be considered worthless in the working world, it is critical you are only researching online colleges and universities that have gained accreditation in your educational search.
Feeling confused? Relax. All of the degrees featured on our site are accredited. We have done the research for you!
Studies on Online Accredited Degrees: Numerous studies have proven that students obtaining online college degrees from accredited colleges and universities perform as well or better than their on-campus counterparts. The book "The No Significant Difference Phenomenon" by Thomas L. Russell cites 355 research reports, papers, and summaries dating back to 1928 that found no significant difference between an online college education and in-class learning. Where a difference was identified, it generally favored the student obtaining an online accredited education from an online college!
An extensive study conducted by the University of Phoenix comparing its own campus-based students to its online college education students came to the same conclusion. In addition, it identified the current online format as the most effective vehicle for distance education.
Monday, February 22, 2010
How a Computer Science Degree Prepares you for Medical School
Students are sometimes surprised to learn that a wide variety of undergraduate degrees can properly prepare them for applying to medical school. An undergraduate degree in Computer Science is good preparation for many reasons.
Computer Science is used in many aspects of Medicine
Here are just a few interesting areas where Computer Science is important in Medicine, both in research and in clinical settings.- Bioinformatics (learn more)
- Reliable medical software (learn more)
- Machine learning software for adaptive medical treatments (learn more)
- Databases and medicine (learn more)
- Medical imaging (learn more)
- Robotics as medical aids (learn more)
- Computational statistics for biological and clinical applications
A Computer Science degree teaches you to think logically and work cooperatively
Our Computer Science courses teach you to think logically and to strive to find new and elegant solutions. Many of our courses also include practical work with groups, so you also learn to work cooperatively. These are all skills that help make a good physician.You will have plenty of room in our program for Medical School prerequisite courses
A BSc degree in Computer Science leaves plenty of room for elective courses if a student needs to complete a few prerequisite courses for Medical School. Most prerequisite Science courses will have already been completed in CEGEP (for Quebec students) or in the Science freshman year (for students entering McGill from outside of Quebec). Our programs also leave open the option of doing a minor in another field, for example, a minor in Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, or Social Studies of Medicine. A particularly interesting minor is the new Minor in Interdisciplinary Life Sciences. By combining your studies in Computer Science or Software Engineering with the Minor in Interdisciplinary Life Sciences you can prepare for many possible careers, including applying to Medicine.Our Computer Science students can get to know their Professors
In Computer Science we have a large number of upper-year courses that are small and where you can get to know your Professors. We also encourage undergraduates to participate in our research. This means that you can forge good contacts with professors who will be able to write you meaningful recommendation letters for your applications to further studies, whether it is for Medical School or for further graduate studies.A Computer Science degree gives you options
You will have many options at the end of your undergraduate studies. You will be prepared to apply to Medical School, but you will also have the options open of continuing to graduate school or to work in Computer Science and related medical fields.Profiles of our students who have gone on to medical school or health science related graduate studies
Some of our Computer Science undergraduates go on to medical school or to graduate school in fields related to medicine. Click on the names of the following students to read about their experiences and how their undergraduate studies at McGill helped them realize their dreams.
- Benjamin Azan
Winner of the best undergraduate research project in Computer Science, 2005
BSc (Major Computer Science, Minor Music Technology), McGill
Student in the Johns Hopkins Post Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Program
- Moses Mathur
BSc, Major in Computer Science, McGill
MSc, Computer Science, McGill
Medical Student, Jefferson Medical College
- Julian Wolfson
BSc (Joint Honours Mathematics and Computer Science), McGill
PhD candidate, Biostatistics, University of Washington
General Information
McGill University is the top research university in Canada (tied with U. of Toronto, based Macleans's 2005 rankings) and is the only Canadian university to rank among the top 12 universities in the world (based on Times 2007 rankings). The School of Computer Science currently stands second in Canada for its research funding. Our professors have received many distinguished awards for research and teaching, while our students, after also winning their share of awards, go on to become top-notch research and industry leaders. A graduate degree from SOCS is recognized in both the academic and industrial worlds as a proof of excellence.
Our department is currently strong of 34 faculty members, 60 Ph.D. students, and 100 Masters students. All of our Ph.D. students and most of our Masters students are funded through teaching assistantships or research assistantships. Approximately half our graduate students are Canadian and the other half are from abroad.
Location
| McGill is an English language university located in the heart of Montreal, the second largest French-speaking city in the world. Montreal has a reputation for its cosmopolitan atmosphere, history, cultural and sport activities, and excellent restaurants. The cultural offerings of the city include a symphony orchestra, ballet, opera, several theaters and museums. For outdoor recreation, Mount Royal, a wooded mountain with a lake and parks located very close to the university, along with the St. Lawrence river, the many lakes and parks around the island of Montreal, provide opportunity for a wide variety of activities. Montreal consistently ranks among the most livable cities in the world, and the cost of living is among the lowest for cities of its size. The city is extremely safe and has an excellent public transportation system. Note that although speaking French is useful to fully enjoy your experience in Montreal, it is by no means necessary, as English is also spoken fluently by most of the population. More information can be found on the McGill Prospective Students web page, while information on Montreal is available from Montreal International. |
The Academic Year
The academic year at McGill, as at most Canadian universities, has two terms (or semesters). These are the Fall term - early September to early December - and the Winter term - early January to mid-April.There is also a Summer term, although no graduate courses are offered during this session. It is used by students as a time for research or completing projects or theses.
Important Information for Foreign Students
All students who are not citizens or permanent residents of Canada are required to obtain the necessary Visa and/or Student Authorization documents prior to entering the country. Do NOT leave home without proper documentation! You CANNOT change your status from Visitor to Student when in Canada.
Student Authorization: Issued by Canada Immigration through a Canadian Embassy or Consulate. There is a processing fee of $125 on all applications for Student Authorizations. LINK
Certificate of Acceptance (CAQ): Issued by Quebec Immigration for a fee of $100. If there is no Quebec Immigration office in the country in which you are applying, you must fill out the application for a CAQ and send it to the Quebec Immigration Office in Montreal along with the $100 processing fee. Once CAQ is approved, Quebec Immigration will telex the Canadian Embassy you are dealing with. If there is a Quebec Immigration office in the country in which you are applying, you apply for the CAQ through them.
Health Insurance (Compulsory): Quebec requires all international students to participate in a recognized Health Insurance Plan. Cost is approximately $500 per year for a single person. Most students use one of the insurance plans offered by McGill.
Once accepted, all international students receive detailed instructions on immigration procedures. These instructions should be read very carefully to avoid unnecessary delays. Applicants are advised to begin procedures necessary to ensure admission to Canada and complete required medical papers for Canadian Immigration authorities as soon as possible after submitting an application for admission. For more information, see the McGill International Student Services.
Student Accommodation
Off-campus housing is the most popular among McGill graduate students, as it is usually affordable, convenient, and easy to find. The Off-Campus Housing Service keeps a computerized list of available housing within walking distance of McGill, or easily accessible by metro and bus lines. Most listings are checked to ensure minimum standards of cleanliness and state of repair. Rental rates vary according to accommodation desired, but are considered very reasonable in comparison with most North American cities.
The University maintains a limited number of apartment units in several nearby locations. Housing request forms can be obtained from the Graduate Housing office
CONTACT US:
Administrative Office | ||
| 3480 University Street McConnell Engineering Building, Room 318 Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2A7 Phone: (514) 398-7071 Fax: (514) 398-3883 |
Computer Science Advances Medicine From Firststop Online Degree
The medical field is benefiting from the implementation of computer science in technology. The daVinci Surgical Robotic System helps to reduce the invasiveness of surgery and the time needed for healing.
Instead of an almost ear-to-ear incision and the splitting of the jaw in half, the robot can enter through the mouth and voice box. The doctor views the surgery through a 3-D computer monitor and manipulates the arms from there. An added benefit is that the movements are more intuitive; if you want the robot to move right, then you move your hand right. In other robotic systems, to move the robot right, you had to move left.
The robot isn't perfect. A doctor needs to have between 20 and 50 operations to become proficient. Critics says that since the doctor never feels the tissue that he is cutting, he won't have as good a feel of how far cancer has spread in such surgeries. Nonetheless, the advances in computer technology make this robot an amazing step forward in science and medicine.
An online college degree can help you get your computer science degree. Flexible to your own time schedule, an online college degree can start you down the path to creating the healing hands of the new millennium.
About the Author
James Tolles is the Managing Editor for HQ|Publications. He helped write and edit the successful application for Sparks, NV that earned the city honors as a 2004 All-America City Finalist-a title held by only 30 cities in the nation. He is also a freelance writer. He attended a four year liberal arts college and holds two B.A. degrees, one in Creative Writing and the other in History.
http://www.firststoponlinedegree.com/contact.php
Computer Science Surgery
Many people suffer from cancer in the mouth and throat. Through conventional surgery, removal of a tumor can cause speech and swallowing dysfunction as well as external scarring. In May 2005, the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine completed two studies that suggest that the daVinci Surgical Robotic System will be an effective tool in these kinds of surgeries.Instead of an almost ear-to-ear incision and the splitting of the jaw in half, the robot can enter through the mouth and voice box. The doctor views the surgery through a 3-D computer monitor and manipulates the arms from there. An added benefit is that the movements are more intuitive; if you want the robot to move right, then you move your hand right. In other robotic systems, to move the robot right, you had to move left.
Past Achievements
The daVinci Surgical Robotic System has already had success in prostate surgery, coronary artery bypass, and even gastric bypasses. With so many nerve endings involved in a prostate surgery, the robot allows for more precision to help reduce the occurrences of incontinence and impotence caused by the surgery. The robot can also repair heart valves without opening up the patient's rib cage.The robot isn't perfect. A doctor needs to have between 20 and 50 operations to become proficient. Critics says that since the doctor never feels the tissue that he is cutting, he won't have as good a feel of how far cancer has spread in such surgeries. Nonetheless, the advances in computer technology make this robot an amazing step forward in science and medicine.
Computer Science Online
Computer science can do great things to advance healing technology, and the field offers you a great way to help heal people other than the traditional route of becoming a doctor. A computer science degree is important to build the right skill sets for this highly technical career.An online college degree can help you get your computer science degree. Flexible to your own time schedule, an online college degree can start you down the path to creating the healing hands of the new millennium.
Sources
- http://www.intuitivesurgical.com/news_room/businessweek_article.html
- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050514205958.htm
About the Author
James Tolles is the Managing Editor for HQ|Publications. He helped write and edit the successful application for Sparks, NV that earned the city honors as a 2004 All-America City Finalist-a title held by only 30 cities in the nation. He is also a freelance writer. He attended a four year liberal arts college and holds two B.A. degrees, one in Creative Writing and the other in History.
http://www.firststoponlinedegree.com/contact.php
How Computers are seen in Biology and Medicine
Computers in Biology and Medicine is a medium of international communication of the revolutionary advances being made in the application of the computer to the fields of bioscience and medicine. The Journal encourages the exchange of important research, instruction, ideas and information on all ...
Computers in Biology and Medicine is a medium of international communication of the revolutionary advances being made in the application of the computer to the fields of bioscience and medicine. The Journal encourages the exchange of important research, instruction, ideas and information on all aspects of the rapidly expanding area of computer usage in these fields.
The Journal will focus on such areas as
(1) Analysis of Biomedical Systems: Solutions of Equations;
(2) Synthesis of Biomedical Systems: Simulations;
(3) Special Medical Data Processing Methods;
(4) Special Purpose Computers and Clinical Data Processing for Real Time, Clinical and Experimental Use; and
(5) Medical Diagnosis and Medical Record Processing. Also included are the fields of
(6) Biomedical Engineering; and
(7) Medical Informatics as well as Bioinformatics. The journal is expanding to include
(8) Medical Applications of the Internet and World Wide Web;
(9) Human Genomics;
(10) Proteomics; and
(11) Functional Brain Studies.
The publication policy is to publish
(1) new, original articles that have been appropriately reviewed by competent scientific people, (2) surveys of developments in the fields,
(3) pedagogical papers covering specific areas of interest, and
(4) book reviews pertinent to the field.
Articles which examine the following topics of special interest are being featured in Computers in Biology and Medicine: computer aids to the analysis of biochemical systems, computer aids to biocontrol-systems engineering, neuronal simulation by digital-computer gating components, automatic computer analysis of pictures of biological and medical importance, use of computers by commercial pharmaceutical and chemical organizations, radiation-dosage computers, and accumulating and recalling individual medical records, real-time languages, interfaces to patient monitors, clinical chemistry equipment, data handling and display in nuclear medicine and therapy.
The applications of computers to biological and biomedical problem solving go back to the very beginnings of computer science, automata theory [1], and mathematical biology [2]. With the advent of more versatile and powerful computers, biological and biomedical applications of computers have proliferated so rapidly that it would be virtually impossible to compile a comprehensive review of all developments in this field. Limitations of computer simulations in biology have also come under close scrutiny, and claims have been made that biological systems have limited information processing power [3]. Such general conjectures do not, however, deter biologists and biomedical researchers from developing new computer applications in biology and medicine. Microprocessors are being widely employed in biological laboratories both for automatic data acquisition/processing and modeling; one particular area, which is of great biomedical interest, involves fast digital image processing and is already established for routine clinical examinations in radiological and nuclear medicine centers, Powerful techniques for biological research are routinely employing dedicated, on-line microprocessors or array processors; among such techniques are: Fourier-transform nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), NMR imaging (or tomography), x-ray tomography, x-ray diffraction, high performance liquid chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry and mass spectrometry. Networking of laboratory microprocessors linked to a central, large memory computer is the next logical step in laboratory automation. Previously unapproachable problems, such as molecular dynamics of solutions, many-body interaction calculations and statistical mechanics of biological processes are all likely to benefit from the increasing access to the new generation of "supercomputers". In view of the large number, diversity and complexity of computer applications in biology and medicine, we could not review in any degree of detail all computer applications in these fields; instead, we shall be selective and focus our discussion on suggestive computer models of biological systems and those fundamental aspects of computer applications that are likely to continue to make an impact on biological and biomedical research. Thus, we shall consider unifying trends in mathematics, mathematical logics and computer science that are relevant to computer modeling of biological and biomedical systems. The latter are pitched at a more formal, abstract level than the applications and, therefore, encompass a number of concepts drawn from the abstract theory of sets and relations, network theory, automata theory, Boolean and n-valued logics, abstract algebra, topology and category theory. The present analysis of relational theories in biology and computer simulation has also inspired a number of new results which are presented here as "Conjectures" since their proofs are too lengthy and too technical to be included in this review. In order to maintain a self-contained presentation-the definitions of the main concepts are given, with the exception of a minimum of simple mathematical concepts.
Computers in Biology and Medicine is a medium of international communication of the revolutionary advances being made in the application of the computer to the fields of bioscience and medicine. The Journal encourages the exchange of important research, instruction, ideas and information on all aspects of the rapidly expanding area of computer usage in these fields.
The Journal will focus on such areas as
(1) Analysis of Biomedical Systems: Solutions of Equations;
(2) Synthesis of Biomedical Systems: Simulations;
(3) Special Medical Data Processing Methods;
(4) Special Purpose Computers and Clinical Data Processing for Real Time, Clinical and Experimental Use; and
(5) Medical Diagnosis and Medical Record Processing. Also included are the fields of
(6) Biomedical Engineering; and
(7) Medical Informatics as well as Bioinformatics. The journal is expanding to include
(8) Medical Applications of the Internet and World Wide Web;
(9) Human Genomics;
(10) Proteomics; and
(11) Functional Brain Studies.
The publication policy is to publish
(1) new, original articles that have been appropriately reviewed by competent scientific people, (2) surveys of developments in the fields,
(3) pedagogical papers covering specific areas of interest, and
(4) book reviews pertinent to the field.
Articles which examine the following topics of special interest are being featured in Computers in Biology and Medicine: computer aids to the analysis of biochemical systems, computer aids to biocontrol-systems engineering, neuronal simulation by digital-computer gating components, automatic computer analysis of pictures of biological and medical importance, use of computers by commercial pharmaceutical and chemical organizations, radiation-dosage computers, and accumulating and recalling individual medical records, real-time languages, interfaces to patient monitors, clinical chemistry equipment, data handling and display in nuclear medicine and therapy.
The applications of computers to biological and biomedical problem solving go back to the very beginnings of computer science, automata theory [1], and mathematical biology [2]. With the advent of more versatile and powerful computers, biological and biomedical applications of computers have proliferated so rapidly that it would be virtually impossible to compile a comprehensive review of all developments in this field. Limitations of computer simulations in biology have also come under close scrutiny, and claims have been made that biological systems have limited information processing power [3]. Such general conjectures do not, however, deter biologists and biomedical researchers from developing new computer applications in biology and medicine. Microprocessors are being widely employed in biological laboratories both for automatic data acquisition/processing and modeling; one particular area, which is of great biomedical interest, involves fast digital image processing and is already established for routine clinical examinations in radiological and nuclear medicine centers, Powerful techniques for biological research are routinely employing dedicated, on-line microprocessors or array processors; among such techniques are: Fourier-transform nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), NMR imaging (or tomography), x-ray tomography, x-ray diffraction, high performance liquid chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry and mass spectrometry. Networking of laboratory microprocessors linked to a central, large memory computer is the next logical step in laboratory automation. Previously unapproachable problems, such as molecular dynamics of solutions, many-body interaction calculations and statistical mechanics of biological processes are all likely to benefit from the increasing access to the new generation of "supercomputers". In view of the large number, diversity and complexity of computer applications in biology and medicine, we could not review in any degree of detail all computer applications in these fields; instead, we shall be selective and focus our discussion on suggestive computer models of biological systems and those fundamental aspects of computer applications that are likely to continue to make an impact on biological and biomedical research. Thus, we shall consider unifying trends in mathematics, mathematical logics and computer science that are relevant to computer modeling of biological and biomedical systems. The latter are pitched at a more formal, abstract level than the applications and, therefore, encompass a number of concepts drawn from the abstract theory of sets and relations, network theory, automata theory, Boolean and n-valued logics, abstract algebra, topology and category theory. The present analysis of relational theories in biology and computer simulation has also inspired a number of new results which are presented here as "Conjectures" since their proofs are too lengthy and too technical to be included in this review. In order to maintain a self-contained presentation-the definitions of the main concepts are given, with the exception of a minimum of simple mathematical concepts.
Information Technology in Medicine
Information and communication technologies are about to make a massive move into medical practice, not only in selected areas of 'high-tech' medicine, but throughout the field. Research in information technologies is needed in the areas of medical imaging, telecooperation, education and training
Medical images are produced in such a number and richness of detail that they can only be analyzed with the help of the computer. Computers not only improve the quality of the images, but also help in reconstructing structures, detecting anomalies and measuring. In particular, computers help with an appropriate visualization to make the image contents understandable to the clinician. Three-dimensional images are used more and more. They have the inherent problem that it is extremely difficult to visualize images consisting of a cloud of material in different shades of grey. Mechanisms have to be found that render the interesting detail and hide other structures that are not relevant for a particular situation. The selection and composition of algorithms depend on the medical goals of a particular analysis and thus can only be determined together with medical experts.
Images are needed to plan and control microinvasive surgical procedures. It is therefore necessary to design systems that support the physician with appropriate visualizations throughout the whole process from image acquisition, diagnosis, treatment planning, surgery to final control.
As medical professionals become more specialized, diagnosis and treatment occur in cooperation between different physicians that may be distributed. They have to use computers to exchange their medical data, in particular images. However, data transfer alone is not sufficient. they must also be able to communicate about their patients, to talk freely about medical data and refer to that data during their discussion. Merging these two communication channels (verbal and data communication) is a challenge that needs to be addressed before teleconsultation can be reasonably efficient. And finally, medical knowledge increases at an amazing pace. Physicians are required to keep up with new knowledge for their whole life. To ensure the quality of diagnosis and treatment, special emphasis on continuous education is needed. Computer-based techniques can help with this task, in particular if they provide training on the job, assisting in the analysis of images and teleconsultation.
All these problems can be solved only in interdisciplinary teams. One needs physicians that are open-minded to think about new computer-based approaches. Computer scientists have to listen for the problems of their medical partners. Psychologists have to look at human-human and human-computer interaction. Engineers and administrators have to make things work. A single profession can no longer deal with all aspects of the complex problems. Furthermore, new systems have to be designed iteratively, with the user in mind. Systems must be addressed to real user problems. However, it is not possible to completely assess the value of a new development before it is taken into daily practice with real users. Developers must be ready to radically change their systems until these really meet the user needs. Users must be involved, but not in a naive fashion ("tell me what you need"). A constructive dialog between users and developers, involving a sequence of prototype systems, is needed to acquire the real user needs.
The following examples show that ERCIM members work together with medical partners on all these aspects. These interdisciplinary activities are needed to broaden the influence of computer science research in our society throughout Europe.
Please contact:
Thomas Berlage - GMD
Tel: +49 2241 2141
E-mail: berlage@gmd.de
Information technology–improving medicine
Computer technology in the workplace is becoming increasingly common. US medicine was initially slow in adoption of information technology, but acceptance has accelerated significantly over the past few years. There are four areas in which rapid advances have been made: computerised order entry; electronic medical records (EMRs); e-mail communication; and hand-held devices. These four technologies are destined to revolutionise the way medicine is practiced in the US.
Reducing medical errors has become a national priority in the US. Specifically adverse drug events are an important source of injuries in hospitalised patients. In response to the need to improve patient safety, computer physician order entry (CPOE) systems have become increasingly more common. In general, CPOE systems force physicians to write all orders online. These systems have the capacity to verify that written orders are correct, that is, based on a patient profile, they can automatically check the dose and contraindications of a specific drug. They have been shown to dramatically reduce serious medication errors. Unlike EMRs (see below), I believe that most hospitals in the US will have CPOEs within five years. From both a financial and publicity standpoint, hospitals will be unable to afford the consequences of a medical error that was preventable. Whether CPOEs are mandated by US hospital licensing bodies is less clear.
EMRs hold great promise in the clinical arena. The ability to care for patients with a record that is integrated with laboratory and pharmacy information, and provides point of service information regarding preventive services, diagnosis, treatment, and follow up represents a dramatic advance in patient care. Improving and measuring quality would be instantly improved if all clinicians used EMRs. For example, it would be easy to prompt clinicians that their patient with diabetes needs an eye examination or a haemoglobin A1c level. Drug prescribing patterns of individual clinicians could be carefully evaluated and compared to established standards. In fact, computer based clinical support as part of an EMR has been shown to improve physician performance and patient outcomes. Unfortunately, in the US, with its cottage industry approach to care and payment, it is not clear who will support this dramatic advance. Currently, a number of staff model health maintenance organisations and academic medical centres have EMRs. But most physicians that I speak with, who are in private practice or work at community health centres, cannot afford the change to EMRs. Not only are they concerned about the cost, but daily maintenance and upkeep is of concern. Of note, one approach that may speed the introduction of EMRs is the use of systems with specified functions. Hence EMRs would be introduced in a more gradual fashion. Nevertheless, I believe we are more than a decade away from a time when a substantial number of Americans will have the majority of their care provided by a clinician sitting at a computer terminal or holding a computer screen.
E-mail communication has been compared to the telephone—a new form of communication that will transform the practice of medicine. “You've got mail” is a common refrain heard by 32 million America Online subscribers around the world. The benefits of e-mail include: (1) communication that is dyssynchronous—that is, the two parties do not both need to be “home” to communicate; (2) it is inexpensive, convenient, and available in many places; (3) it can provide a permanent record of the transaction; (4) it affords a certain level of anonymity that is not available on the telephone; and (5) it may make practice far more efficient. There are many potential liabilities, including threats to confidentiality and privacy, inappropriate use, and the possible workload that it may create for clinicians. Nevertheless, many patients in the US are requesting e-mail communication with their physicians, and more importantly, the office of their physicians. Just like the telephone, e-mail communication should be established with an office, rather than an individual, so that requests can be appropriately categorised, distributed, and answered. I predict that e-mail communication between physician and patient will become more common, more quickly, than EMRs. We tend to be responsive to patients in the US, particularly since they are increasingly seen as consumers, and few patients are clamouring for an EMR, but many are requesting access to e-mail communication.
I have been impressed with the numerous software packages now available for hand-held devices. Growth charts, books, pharmacy databases, and other important patient related information is now available. The recently released US guidelines for management of cholesterol were available for hand-held devices soon after they were published. Hand-helds will soon have as much memory as desktop computers did 3–5 years ago. Where I practice, virtually every physician, and certainly every resident, has a hand-held and is making good use of it in the clinical arena. Combined with EMRs, and advances in e-mail communication, it is quite imaginable that every physician will be able to literally “carry” the medical record of every patient they care for and communicate with them instantaneously. The uses of hand-helds will continue to evolve, but I suspect that every physician in the US will be using them in the next few years.
Information technology is advancing rapidly. Translation by head sets, distant surgery by telecommunication, and consultation by video and computer, are examples that I have not discussed. However, unlike those advances, EMRs, e-mail communication, hand-held devices, and computer order entry are likely to touch the lives of everyone of us and our patients
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