Telemedicine needs for multimedia and integrated services digital network (ISDN)

Telemedicine applications are based on multimedia systems and a variety of networks. Multimedia and transmission technology are very necessary to telemedicine applications. Since the delay is the enemy for patients, so the integrated and high-speed telecommunication is an optimal option for telemedicine systems. For that, ISDN is chosen as an infrastructure for many telemedicine applications. The objective of this paper is to present economically alternative to the current network that would allow experts fast and easily access to the medical data of their remote patients through ISDN network with the help of suitable multimedia system. We discuss the role and necessity of multimedia and ISDN technology for medical applications in telemedicine. Multimedia communications in medicine and solutions provided by ISDN, which are necessary to telemedicine, are discussed in this paper with some technical issues. Some of the current popular ISDN-based telemedicine systems are mentioned, with some discussion of the future ISDN telemedicine applications.