| Hospital's and the Medical Professionals associated | | | | The equipment which will be the standard for several |
| with them across America have discovered during the | | | | years to come includes an outdoor dish (1.2 meter is |
| last few years that a great deal of efficiency can be | | | | now standard), coax cabling no greater than 200' to an |
| accomplished by utilizing the World Wide Web to | | | | indoor unit which handles routing, modem functions and |
| connect Doctors, Surgeons, Medical Transcribers and | | | | provides the required security. The upload transmitters |
| remote or mobile Clinics together. A specialist can | | | | are much more powerful now......up to 4 watts |
| instantly review an X-Ray or medical chart half way | | | | (compared to 1 watt or less in earlier solutions). They |
| around the world or from a very remote area. | | | | are capable of instantly "ramping up" the wattage |
| Although most of this connectivity is accomplished | | | | during inclement weather to all but eliminate rain fade |
| utilizing high speed terrestrial internet connections like a | | | | and can provide sustained speeds in the T1 or better |
| T1, Cable or DSL connections, there are many areas in | | | | range if required. |
| the U.S. where this type of internet connection isn't | | | | What does all of this magic cost? The costs have |
| available. | | | | dropped precipitously during the last year as a result of |
| Satellite internet connectivity has advanced enough | | | | two main factors: underutilized transponders on many |
| during the last year or so to allow a specialist to view | | | | Ku band satellites covering North America and good |
| highly detailed graphical information (x-rays or scans | | | | ole competition between the hardware manufacturers. |
| from MRI equipment) in a HIPPA compliant internet | | | | In 2002 a .74 meter dish setup with a ½ watt |
| environment that can be deemed "high speed". The | | | | transmitter ran over $2,800 for equipment and |
| equipment needed to accomplish this is more | | | | upwards of $150 per month.....and did a miserable job! In |
| expensive than a DSL or Cable connection and there | | | | 2005, the same basic cost will bring a 1.2 meter dish |
| are somewhat more complicated security measures | | | | and speeds of nearly 1200 kbps download and a |
| needed; however, more and more medical group's are | | | | sustained 128 kbps or better upload......including a Quality |
| seeing the benefits from this type of connection and | | | | of Service (QOS) guarantee of speed from the |
| adding satellite internet "ground stations" at the remote | | | | internet service provider! Higher speeds are available |
| homes of resident doctors, medical professionals like | | | | for additional cost (as high as 2040+kbps downloads |
| transcribers and smaller clinics they serve. | | | | and 1028+kbps uploads). |
| The early efforts to provide satellite internet to this field | | | | These speeds combined with much lower latency |
| were frankly miserable failures......either not HIPPA | | | | (these internet providers use IP technology throughout |
| compliant or speeds so slow you could have gotten a | | | | the trip through space - not Digital Video Broadcast |
| courier to bring it faster! DirecWay and Starband | | | | translated into IP) provide a reliable, secure and fast |
| solutions just don't have enough upload speed to | | | | experience. For the professional or clinic unable to |
| handle this type of activity. When you add nearly 2 | | | | obtain terrestrial high speed internet, it is a great |
| seconds of latency inherent in this type of satellite | | | | solution. |
| connection, you have a bunch of frustrated folks! | | | | |