TB Patients Connect to Webcams for Treatment

King County in Washington State has begun a program that allows tuberculosis patients to be monitored via webcams to make certain that medications are taken exactly as prescribed and the treatment time can range from six to 12 months.

King County, which includes Seattle, has one of the highest infection rates of tuberculosis in the country.

Patients provide their own webcam equipment and there is no cost for accessing the video-conferencing tool.

Webcams are used to monitor a patient’s compliance with taking the prescribed medications because even for folks who are conscientious find it difficult to maintain regular schedules for taking the medications.