This paper reports on the risks and obstacles, as well as the benefits and potential, of the pervasive computing in medical care (PerCoMed) project. The authors base their conclusions on two case studies (Stroke Angel and MS Nurses), cost analyses, qualitative user-acceptance analyses, and separate and coincidental techniques of information gathering, including 45 semi-structured intra-departmental interviews, direct observation, four focus group sessions, two workshops with interest group representatives, a literature review, and a study of the German healthcare regulatory framework. They claim that this has enabled the recognition of PerCoMed deployment issues--such as user acceptance, perceived medical benefit, usability, information requirements, organizational issues, privacy issues, and financial issues--that conceptual or laboratory studies cannot identify.

The Stroke Angel case study is a prehospital/hospital study of stroke diagnosis and care. The MS Nurses case study is a hospital/posthospital patient care and monitoring treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). For the Stroke Angel study, the authors identify two (of many) issues: organizational staff and skills--the physicians’ skills versus the paramedics’--and equipment coordination issues--for example, when computer tomography (CT) scanners don’t automatically accept paramedical wireless computing transmissions. For the MS Nurses study, the authors also identify two issues: usability, and the on/off checking of belt-attached devices that measure gait and movement.

In addition to the aforementioned examples, the paper discusses many more deployment issues, including some particularly interesting ones related to finances, privacy, and regulations. Readers--especially those who are familiar with the PerCoMed project--will find that more work is needed.