TITLE:
Head-to-Head Comparison of Real-Time Video Tablet Platforms for Telestroke Applications
AUTHORS:
J. Yang, P. T. Parikh, J. G. Hentz, D. C. Channer, B. M. Demaerschalk
KEYWORDS:
Telestroke, Telemedicine, Delivery of Healthcare, Internet, Mobile Health, Cisco Jabber, Clear Sea, Tablet, iPad
JOURNAL NAME:
E-Health Telecommunication Systems and Networks,
Vol.3 No.4,
December
5,
2014
ABSTRACT: Telestroke is an integral platform for physicians to provide accurate diagnosis and treatment to patients with a possible stroke in remote locations. We evaluated the performance of two iPad applications, Clear Sea and Cisco Jabber for potential usability in telestroke. We conducted a single blind study wherein 15 volunteers underwent 4 separate assessments using abbreviated versions of the National Institutes of Health on-site and off-site, each using Cisco Jabber and Clear Sea. Both volunteer and investigator surveys were collected. Perceptions and usability of each application were measured by grading each variable on a score of 1 - 5 on the Likert scale. The Cisco Jabber mean (±SD) total score was 4.15 ± 0.78 versus 3.88 ± 0.82 for Clear Sea (P = 0.18) indicating 91% probability that Jabber was superior to Clear Sea. A sample of 60 volunteers would have 80% power. The maximum difference was noted in image quality, where Cisco Jabber scored 3.93 ± 0.82 and Clear Sea scored 3.60 ± 0.78 (P = 0.13). Since the directionality of the experiment was not predetermined, a two-tailed pared t-test was used to arrive at a conclusion. With the statistical results shown above we concluded that there was a modest preference for Cisco Jabber over Clear Sea, but a larger trial with stroke patients was still warranted.