>The Enhancing Healthcare Education, Research & Practice Symposium<

Biomedical Information Management System for

Telecardio 12 equipments- SGIB
Isabel Guadalupe, Alejandro de la Cruz, Jose Oliden, Milton Rios, Reynaldo Custodio,
Tai Lam, Rubén Acosta, Giancarlo Berenz

Abstract—Nowadays there are many research works about
acquisition processes and storage of biomedical signals,
such as heart, breath, SpO2 signals, etc. These information
signals are necessary for diagnosis or monitoring vital
signals of people for medical attention purposes under the
supervision of a medical specialist. However, in many real
situations there is no specialist doctor available who can
analyze the biomedical information, due to many reasons.
One of them is the extreme geographical isolation of
remote communities.
Index Terms. — Information Retrieval. Programming
environments. Remote-electrocardiography. Telehealth.
Computerized audiometer, Cardiocel B138, Telecardio
12 and now SGIB; all of them make use, in some way,
of a computer to display biomedical signals and a
telecommunication network.
The gained experience in developing prototypes,
allowed us to involve in more complex challenges, one
of them was the problem of “Remote centralized
collected information”, that means, sending information
from a remote point to a central hospital where this
information can be analyzed, classified, managed and be
useful for futures applications to the health staff.

I. INTRODUCTION II. MAIN OBJECTIVE

I N the telecommunications services field we know that

telephony is the most extended service; it can be
found a telephone in every country and almost in
Implement a procedure for remote centralized collected
information by developing a Biomedical Information
Management System software for Telecardio 12
every city, therefore we have proposed the telephone equipments.
service as the transmission media to send and receive
biomedical information from remote communities
(without facilities of specialized attention but with III. METODOLOGY
telephone service) to central hospitals, with the purpose
to ask for remote diagnosis (Tele-diagnosis).
1. Collect and evaluate information of similar
experiences.
In this research, it was initially worked with heart
2. Evaluation of an alternative solution according to
signals as biomedical information to transmit and our
design parameters:
hypothesis was:
a. Consider user’s perspective (doctor) to decide
the minimum system functions.
“It can be sent biomedical information through
b. Take advantage of computer resources (display,
Public Switching Telephone Network (PSTN)
storage media and communication ability).
from many different geographical points to a
c. Achieve the lowest cost hardware design that
central reception point simultaneously; and it
get technical criteria compliance
is possible to send back data as a reply too”.
d. Modular software development.
3. Implementation and tests:
It was used the following technologies:
a. Hardware: Design, construction, tests and final
adjustment.
• Programming with TAPI b. Software: Design, modular development,
• Data base systems simulation, tests and debugging.
• Embedded systems
• Data acquisition
• Digital signal processing IV. SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

The National Institute for Research and Training in

Telecommunication of the Engineering University, The Biomedical Information Management System sends
INICTEL-UNI, has developed, in its labs, many Hw/Sw information from a group of biomedical signal
applications to provide solutions to help health service acquisition equipments to a centralized data-based
access, with the development of prototypes like: computer. (Figure 1)
Computerized heart monitor (Cardiomatic),

Technological Development Division 1 INICTEL-UNI

 >The Enhancing Healthcare Education, Research & Practice Symposium<
Specifically, this system transmits information from
Telecardio 12 equipments making use of the telephone
network as a communication media.
Figure 1 SGIB scheme
The system elements are:
1. Telecardio 12 equipments, each one with a PC and
modem (initially four units).
2. Software applications: local application software
installed in a central hospital (central system side),
and the remote application software installed in a
health establishment (remote system side)
The Telecardio 12 equipments and the remote
application software are located in health establishment
(type I, II or health rural centres) denominated remote
localizations.
Figure 2. TAPI software dialog window
The local application software is located in an urban
central hospital (in a PC), where a cardiologist is. It is
necessary that the PC at the central hospital has
exclusive access to PSTN, where the incoming
telephone calls, each with an individual data (heart
signal information), are controlled by a Telephone
Application Programming Interface (TAPI) specially
designed for managing four telephone calls
simultaneously from the telephone network (Figure 2),
namely this software interface controls four data
terminals which serves as a physical interface between
the PC and the telephone lines.
Technological Development Division
The system work as following:
From either of four remote localization can be made a
phone call to local application system, this phone call is
accomplished by making use of the Telecardio 12 as a
telemedicine terminal; on the other system side, the
computer will answer and ask for the identification of
the remote terminal; this sends its identification together
with a patient heart signal data. The local application
software will receive this data and storages it, once the
sending ends, the remote application software finishes
the phone call.
This process is repeated on demand for every sending of
information, from every remote localization and can be
simultaneous.
The local application software receives patient heart
signal data and stores it in an appropriate way to find
and analyze it easily later; also, it displays heart signal
data in a screen computer according to cardiologist’s
basic requirements (calibration signal, millimeter paper,
signal length, etc).
This software organizes the incoming information
according to its origin; also it can keep all information in
an electronic file, finally the filename and its path is an
automatic choice of the system.
System displays heart signal information in a graphic
way each time the consulted physician requests it.
The consulted physician will answer and full in
diagnosis window, also can be made some
recommendations; and then will send all information to
remote localizations.
Figure 3 SGIB software block diagrams
The SGIB has six important blocks, in the central
system side are: identification, storage, manage data
base, signal processing, data entry and display; in the
remote system side are: identification, acquisition,
storage, signal processing, data entry and display. Each
2 INICTEL-UNI
 >The Enhancing Healthcare Education, Research & Practice Symposium<

one carries out specific functions that allow to process • Transmission of biomedical data through
patient signal data. telecommunications networks.
• Adequate patient’s signal data managing
according with cardiologist’s needs.
V. PRELIMINARY RESULTS • Data presentation techniques in PC (in
coordination with a cardiologist)
The interaction between the SGIB and the PSTN has 3. Experience in multidisciplinary projects.
given the following results: 4. Process biomedical signal, to reduce the noise on
the information signal. This means involve use
digital filters.
Phone calls
Incoming Outcoming 5. Handle patients data, it storages in database server,
From remote side
the local application, by pop-ups windows, remind
Total attempt 262 154 user system to have files waiting for revision.
Success attempt 191 134 Expected Health / Social benefits:
Busy / Memovox 37 na
1. New alternatives to face-to-face consultation to be
Voice call na 13 applied in rural dispersed zone.
Transference wrongs 5 7 2. Better cardiologic patient’s monitoring in remote
zones.
Table 1. Total test results from remotes side 3. Waiting time’s reduction to access health
cardiologic specialized services.
Phone call 4. Reduce doctor’s sensation of isolation in a remote
Incoming Outcoming zone.
From local side
Total attempt 200 214 REFERENCES
Success attempt 144 191 [1] Simon Robinson, K Scout Allen, Ollie Cornes, Professional
C# 2da Edición
Busy / Memovox 56 na [2] Jordi Mayne, Didactic Guide of the HC08, SILICA
[3] Microcontroller 68HC908GP32, Freescale
Voice call na 20 [4] Telehealth National Commission, Telehealth National Plan,
INICTEL, Peru, 2004
Transference wrongs 2 2 [5] H. M. Deitel, P. J. Deitel, How to programme in C/C++,
Table 2. Total test results from central side Prentice Hall
[6] Davis Chapman, Teach Yourself Visual C++ 6 in 21 Days,
Sams Publishing
In both table, it can be appreciate total test results from [7] David J. Kruglinski, Scot Wingo, George Sheperd,
remotes and central side. Programming Visual C++ Fifth Edition, Microsoft Press
[8] Kate Gregory – Gregory, Using Visual C++ 6 Special Edition
E-book, Consulting Limited
[9] Platform SDK April 2005 Edition Microsoft Corporation
VI. ACKOWNLEDGMENT [10] Development Division, Final Technical Report Telecardio12,
INICTEL 2001
[11] Joseph Bronzino, The Biomedical engineering handbook,
The accomplishment of the activities for the SGIB CRC press, 1995
project was technical supported by INICTEL-UNI and [12] Henry Marriott, Practical electrocardiography.
co-financed by CONCYTEC. [13] Development Division, Final Technical Report Heart Signals
Processor, INICTEL, 1994
[14] Diego G. Ruiz, C# Programmer Guide Complete, Manuals
The SGIB is now totally operative and it has been Users code
suggested to implement a pilot project for this system [15] Different applications notes, data sheets, and technical
within the Peruvian national health network. references about Family HC08 processors.
http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/homepage.jsp?node
Id=0162468449
VII. CONCLUSIONS [16] Code Warrior for HC08 processors. [Online]. Available:
http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?
code=CWS-H08-STDED-CX
Scientific conclusions [17] Health National Indicators [Online]. Available:
http://www.minsa.gob.pe/portal/04SituacionSalud/ind-
1. This research contribute to our national software salud.asp
[18] Telecommunications National Statistical Indicators [Online].
development Available: http://www.osiptel.gob.pe/
2. Generate experiences in new knowledge of several [19] Heart and Stroke Encyclopedia. [Online]. Available:
technologies such as: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1000
• Specific purpose applications by the use of 0056
[20] Microsoft public win32 programmer TAPI. [Online].
API’s. Available:

Technological Development Division 3 INICTEL-UNI

 >The Enhancing Healthcare Education, Research & Practice Symposium<

http://groups.google.com.pe/group/microsoft.public.win32.pro Ruben Acosta is graduated in Electronic

grammer.tapi?lnk=li&hl=es Engineering from the Peru’s Technological
[21] Microsoft Developer Network. [Online]. Available: University in 2005; he works at National
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/es-es/default.aspx/ Institute for Research and Training in
[22] Andreas Marschall, TAPI and TSPI FAQ [Online]. Available: Telecommunications since 2000. He is
http://www.i-b-a- developing electronic devices for RFID
m.de/Andreas_Marschall%27s_TAPI_and_TSPI_FAQ.htm applications projects.
[23] Technical support, design and applications. [Online].
Available: http://www.microchip.com Giancarlo Berenz is studying Mechatronic
[24] C#.NET Encyclopedia [Online]. Available: Engineering at the National Engineering
http://www.csharp-online.net/ University; he worked at National Institute for
[25] C# Corner, E-books, forums [Online]. Available: Research and Training in Telecommunications
http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/ since 2006 to 2007. He is software developer
[26] MySql Hispano, Articles, forum. [Online]. Available: for robotics applications projects.
http://www.mysql-hispano.org/
[27] MySql AB, Developer Zone. [Online]. Available:
http://www.mysql.org/
[28] MySql 5.0 Reference Manual. [Online]. Available:
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/es/index.html -
[29] The Community ENTerprise Operating System. [Online].
Available: http://www.centos.org/

Isabel Guadalupe received her professional

Title in Electronic Engineering from the
Ricardo Palma Private University in 1990; she
works at National Institute for Research and
Training in Telecommunications since 1987, at
the Technologic Development Division as a
software applications design and embedded
systems.

Alejandro Delacruz is Electronics Engineer

and works at the INICTEL-UNI’s Technologic
Development Division. His interest includes
topics in telecommunications and digital
control. He is developing his Master thesis in
the field of telecommunications by using
Meteor Scatter.

Milton Rios received his professional Title in

Electronic Engineering from the National San
Marcos University in 1986; he works at
National Institute for Research and Training in
Telecommunications since 1988. He is in
charge of the Technologic Development
Division as and his main work is devoted to
EMC constraints and text coding for HF channels.

José Oliden Rios received his professional

Title in Mechatronic Engineering from the
National Engineering University in 2002; he
worked at National Institute for Research and
Training in Telecommunications since 2001 to
2007. He is carrying electronic projects at the
Applied Science Peruvian University.

Reynaldo Custodio received his bachelor

degree in Mechatronic Engineering from the
National Engineering University in 2003; he
worked at National Institute for Research and
Training in Telecommunications since 2001 to
2007. He is software developer for electronic
transactions projects.

Tai Lam received his bachelor degree in

Electronic Engineering from the National San
Marcos University in 2006; he works at
National Institute for Research and Training in
Telecommunications since 2006. He is
developing software for RFID applications
projects.

Technological Development Division 4 INICTEL-UNI