Defining The Medical Imaging Requirements For A Rural Health Center (communications In Medical And Care Compunetics)

This book presents the patient management challenges that rural health centers face, and establishes the criteria for the type of medical imaging services that should be available in such facilities. To make the work of the center’s health practitioners more effective and efficient, the book assesses what health conditions may require medical attention in those centers. Information is provided on how to use basic imaging modalities, such as radiography and ultrasound, emphasizing the need for thoughtful service planning, careful equipment and imaging protocol selection, continuous staff training, and the implementation of quality control programs. The book is also a valuable resource for those physicians, medical physicists and service engineers who provide virtual and physical consultations to meet these needs. Rural health centers are established to prevent patients from being forced to travel to distant urban medical facilities. To manage patients properly, rural health centers should be part of regional and more complete systems of medical health care installations in the country on the basis of a referral and counter-referral program. Thus, the centers should have the infrastructure needed to transport patients to urban hospitals when they need more complex health care. The coordination of all the activities is possible only if rural health centers are led by strong and dedicated managers. This book establishes the criteria for the type of medical imaging services that should be made available to rural health centers, providing professional rural hospital managers with information that makes their work more effective and efficient. It also offers valuable insights into government, non-governmental and religious organizations involved in the planning, establishment and operation of medical facilities in rural areas. Rural health centers are established to prevent patients from being forced to travel to distant urban medical facilities. To manage patients properly, rural health centers should be part of regional and more complete systems of medical health care installations in the country on the basis of a referral and counter-referral program, and thus, they should have the infrastructure needed to transport patients to urban hospitals when they need more complex health care. The coordination of all the activities is only possible if rural health centers are led by strong and dedicated managers. The book also represents a valuable resource for those physicians, medical physicists and service engineers who provide virtual and physical consultations Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Characteristics of a Rural Health Center....Pages 3-6 Medical Imaging Needs in a Rural Health Center from a Clinical Point of View....Pages 7-39 Front Matter....Pages 41-41 Medical Imaging Equipment Characteristics at the Health Center Level: Overview....Pages 43-47 Technical Specifications of Medical Imaging Equipment....Pages 49-74 Front Matter....Pages 75-75 Equipment and Physical Infrastructure....Pages 77-94 Basic Training and Continuing Education of Technical Staff in Rural Health Centers....Pages 95-103 Tele-Imaging and Networking....Pages 105-115 Front Matter....Pages 117-117 Quality Control, Radiation Safety and Maintenance Programs....Pages 119-134 Patient Referral to Secondary and Tertiary Health Care Levels....Pages 135-146 Back Matter....Pages 147-150