Low-cost and easy educational video chat system to simulate an online interview between a doctor and patient

Abstract

Hospital information system operation classes are being held at the university to which the authors are affiliated. The purpose of this study was to develop a proprietary video chat system that could be used in conjunction with existing hospital information systems to simulate an online interview between a doctor and patient. Assuming doctor-to-patient (D to P) communication, a simple configuration was designed using inexpensive equipment. The developed video chat system presents an affordable solution that does not require a dedicated server and can obtain video and audio directly from web cameras. It was used in conjunction with the existing hospital information system in the laboratory. This video chat system can be cost-effective and easy to implement, making it an effective solution. Further, the authors reported some important findings on issues to consider for practical use, such as web camera connections, configuring special settings on existing work terminals, selecting the appropriate web cameras to be used, and managing the noise generated by terminals. The next step is to obtain system evaluations from volunteer students during simulation lessons.