The focus of this research is remote care delivery and monitoring between a health care provider and a patient living outside of a clinical facility (e.g., home or assisted living residence). We propose a real-time multifunctional digital system for home telehealth, which uses only a single phone line connection. The anticipated commercial product will be able to deliver multiple types of health care services and real-time monitoring to patients at a distance in home settings. The key innovation of the research is that with such a home telehealth system, a health care provider can, via a single phone line, simultaneously. + monitor in real time continuously measured multiple biosignals of the same type or mixed types (e.g., ECG and EEG), + monitor in real time discretely measured biosignals such as basic vital signs, + interactively speak with patients in full duplex (tele-education and tele-consultation), + send/receive control bits to/from the patient assistance devices if equipped. The advantages of the proposed system appear in the following major areas: i) quality of care improvement and new application creation, ii) cost effectiveness, accessibility and patient acceptance, and iii) liability and security.
