We present a session initiation protocol (SIP) network design for a voice-over-IP network to prevent congestion caused by people calling friends and family after a disaster. The design increases the capacity of SIP servers in a network by using all of the SIP servers equally. It takes advantage of the fact that equipment for voice data packets is different from equipment for signaling packets i...

The centralised control rooms of large industrial plants have separated people from the processes they should control. Perception is restricted mainly to the visual sense. Only telephone or radio links provide narrow-band voice communication with maintenance personnel down in the plant. Multimedia equipment can perceptionally bring back the operator into the plant while bodily keeping him the c...

Staffing problems arise in a wide range of applications including job shops, call centres, and hospital emergency departments. They are characterised by the need to allocate shift workers with varying skills to handle an arrival stream of tasks having different sub-task routings and (sub-task) skill requirements. The Manitoba Telecom Service Trouble Diagnosis and Repair System (TDRS) has 3 skil...

BACKGROUND Telemedicine, based on the use of interactive video consultations, is being used more commonly in rural settings. This development is potentially important to rural patients because there are fewer physicians, particularly specialist physicians, in rural areas. Declining costs of telemedicine equipment and transmission have created increased access to these technologies for rural fam...

OBJECTIVE To assess cost and cost-effectiveness of immunization reminder/recall systems in the private sector. METHODS A manual postcard system (mail) was compared with a computer-based telephone system (autodialer) and control. Costs included time costs and the cost of equipment and supplies. The cost per child and the incremental cost of the intervention relative to control were computed. C...

Intelligent systems that provide integrated control for many functions, such as lighting, safeguard, airconditioner, heating, housekeeping equipment and maintenance of electronics, are close at hand for the mass market. Main factors for the increase in needs of intelligent systems are: reduction of price, reputation of products, and technical improvements. There are many corresponding systems, ...

OBJECTIVES Transport of the critically ill patient to or from the emergency department (ED) is a frequent occurrence. This study was designed to determine whether UK EDs currently have appropriate equipment, monitoring, staff training systems, and processes of care for transportation of the critically ill patient. METHODS A postal questionnaire regarding ED transfer patients was sent to 247 U...

background: various strategies such as teaching self care to hemodialysis patients have been employed to increase the level of their hope. this study aimed at examining the effects of a telephone follow-up program on the level of hope in a self care education program. methods: in this single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial, 75 hemodialysis patients, selected by convenient sampling, w...

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To explore the perceptions of patients with breast cancer with mobility impairments of the physical accessibility of healthcare facilities and equipment. RESEARCH APPROACH Individual audiotaped interviews lasting one to two hours. SETTING Interviews in homes or workplaces or by telephone. PARTICIPANTS 20 women with chronic mobility impairments who developed early-stage ...