VideoConferencing... is a way for individuals and groups to see and to talk to one another as well as share data in "real-time" utilizing some form of technology. At CareGroup, we have PictureTel/Polycom products that can transmit information over a digital network. Currently the equipment can use either ISDN lines (three=384 kbp/s; two=256 kbp/s; one=128 kbp/s) or the LAN (Video-over-IP) to link doctors, patients, administrators and staffs. As the Internet becomes more robust, we will share these live, interactive voice, video and data conversations using the WAN.

TeleMedicine...is videoconferencing for specific medical applications, like Critical CareLink that links doctors and nurses on the East and West Campus ICU units, Interpreters CareLink that connects language interpreters with patients who do not speak English or are hearing impaired and BabyCareLink that enables parents of newborns in the NICU to interact with their child and the child’s doctor and nurses from their home.
 
There are various types of Videoconference Calls...

First, what type of "network" will be used to connect the locations? "ISDN-based" (Integrated Services Digital Network) calls are currently most prevelant. In essence it is a high-bandwith telephone call. Like a long-distance phone call, whomever places the call gets a per-minute line-use charge. "IP-based" (Internet Protocol) calls use corporate LANs and the public internet to connect locations. While there are no line charges for this type of call, currently they tend to be less reliable, particularly when using the world wide web. This will likely change and IP based calls will become the standard as the internet becomes more technically robust. Both ISDN and IP-based videoconferences use designations for the amount of bandwidth they use: 128 kb/s, 256 kb/s, 284 kb/s and 768 kb/s. What is important to remember is that the higher the bandwidth, the clearer to call. But remember that for ISDN, this also means higher costs!

Second, how many locations are participating? A Point-to-Point is a call between two locations; a Multi-Point involves three or more locations. When in a multi-point call, there are also choices about the type of interaction. Most conference calls are Voice-Activated,meaning that the site that is speaking is the site that everyone else participating in the conference sees. An alternative is Continuous Presence that provides continuous and simultaneous pictures of up to four sites at one time in quadrants on the monitor. Finally, Presenter Mode combines the best of both options: a full screen image of an originating location is sent to all other locations while a continuous presence image of all participating sites is viewed at the originating location.

 
There are three primary types of Video Conference systems...
Group Systems (also called room systems) are designed for a conference room and typically include large monitors, wide angle camera, peripheral input devices and meeting tools to help a group meet naturally. It is ideal when gathering three or more people around a conference table for a meeting with others at remote locations and/or when a larger bandwidth is desired. All of our group systems operate using ISDN lines.


Portable Systems have most of the benefits of group systems in a smaller, self-contained, lightweight unit for movement from location to location.  It weighs approximately 10 lb., connects to an on-site television, and uses either IP or ISDN line(s).
 



Desktop Systems (also called personal systems) make personal computers a convenient collaborative tool for 1 or 2 people to share voice, video and data. We have models that utilize either IP or ISDN lines.