Experience with planned and coordinated care using telemedicine

Abstract

In 2006 a telehealth project was implemented in Medway for people with multi-morbidity problems, such as unstable blood pressure. Home monitors were provided to measure vital signs. The information was transmitted to a secure server where an electronic patient record was accessed by clinicians. If the monitored variables exceeded preset limits, an automatic alert was sent to the monitoring centre where trained operators took appropriate action, for example notifying a patient's clinician. In nursing home settings, monitoring was thought to have saved 127 hospital bed days and 112 nursing hours. In participants’ own homes, monitoring was thought to have saved 1 33 hospital days and 117 nursing hours. There were also cost- and time-savings for general practitioners (GPs), practice and community nurses. Increased involvement in their own management gives patients a better understanding of their condition, resulting in increased reassurance and reducing the need for GP visits.