Remote Monitoring for Chronic Disease
With an ever increasing number of persons who have chronic health conditions, means to improve care of patients with ongoing monitoring are increasingly of interest. A report published in the British Medical Journal describes the efficacy of remote monitoring for patients with chronic heart failure.
The study authors, from Canada and Australia, noted benefits of the monitoring system. The team used telephone monitoring to collect physiologic data including oxygenation, blood pressure, and EKG. Both hospital admissions for heart failure decreased, as well as all causes of mortality.
Remote monitoring may provide an excellent compliment to routine office visits for other chronic conditions. Other programs are assessing remote monitoring for medication compliance, including a recent initiative in Tennessee. As management of chronic disease becomes increasingly important, technology such as this may offer ideal means to ensure patient safety and improved outcomes.
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April 25, 2007 Related topics: Wireless, Monitoring, Trends, Quality, Safety, Errors