NIH awarded a five year $2.2 million grant to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI) to explore whether school-based telemedicine sessions can help students in rural areas control their asthma. As the most common chronic childhood disease, asthma disproportionally affects minority and low income children and is especially difficult to treat children living a distance from specialists.
The “Reducing Asthma Disparities in Arkansas” (RADAR) research team will examine 12 school districts in rural east Arkansas counties, by placing video conferencing systems in six of the school districts to enable the recruited students with asthma to have regular education appointments with specialists in Little Rock. The remaining schools will act as control sites. The RADAR study will include three years of school-based interventions with each site hosting the video conferencing sessions for a year.
Students ages 7 to 14 will learn how to recognize initial symptoms of an asthma attack, the importance of taking medications as prescribed, and ways to reduce their risk for complications. They will take part in the video conferencing education during non-instruction periods such as in study hall or during recess.
During the sessions, the students will be able to speak directly with ACHRI asthma specialists so that their questions can be answered and the physicians will be able to track their progress. Parents will also be heavily involved and attend courses to learn similar concepts as well as effective methods to use to discuss their children’s asthma with doctors.
Investigators will work cooperatively with the students’ primary care providers, with ACHRI asthma specialists, and provide disease management recommendations based on published national asthma guidelines.
Preliminary studies to support the project were funded in part by the Arkansas Biosciences Institute and the UAMS Arkansas Center for Health Disparities. The UAMS Center for Distance Health also provides training support, technological resources, and telemedicine session coordination.
In other news, CompuMed is partnering with the nonprofit California School Health Centers Association (CSHC) to promote electrocardiogram telemedicine technologies for use in the school health centers throughout California. CSHC represents more than 150 school health centers serving more than 800 primary and secondary schools throughout the state.
The new partnership calls for CompuMed to provide ECG equipment and interpretive over-reads for screenings. On their part, CSHC will promote CompuMed’s ECG telemedicine technologies via their website, e-newsletters, and at their statewide and regional conferences, as well as through other initiatives to be developed.
“A student’s athlete’s heart attack is a shocking event and CompuMed is committed to reducing the likelihood of these tragic events. In communities where ECGs with pediatric cardiology over-reads are performed on all students prior to athletic participation, the incidence of sudden cardiac deaths among student athletes has been reduced by more than 90 percent,” said CompuMed’s lead cardiologist David M. Frisch, M.D.
While the recession has caused many school districts to rethink healthcare spending, CompuMed has made the equipment, software, and over-reads affordable for school clinics. The equipment to perform ECGs is provided free of charge even though it typically costs about $3,500. Each CompuMed over-read by a skilled pediatric cardiologist is priced at $15, though typically priced in the marketplace from $20 to $150 or more.
To help children with Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD), the University of Kansas Medical Center and the Kansas City Center for Anxiety Treatment are conducting a study using the Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) to compare the effectiveness when help for OCD is administered in person or by using interactive televideo.
Generally clinicians who have obtained specialized training in OCD assessment and treatment generally practice in urban specialty clinics causing shortages particularly in rural areas. This inequity in provider distribution magnifies the problems of misdiagnosis and inadequate therapy for OCD.
This study involves doing three assessments on three separate days for participating adolescents and parents. This includes an initial assessment to confirm a diagnosis of OCD using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule from DSM-IV followed by an evaluation using CY-BOCS both in person and by using interactive televideo.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Global Blood Database Needed
According to the newsletter “The Portal” published by the Office of the Chief Information Officer within the Military Health System (MHS), the Department of Defense is striving to consolidate defense blood systems. Tracking accurate up-to-date blood donation records through a web of legacy systems without access to a consolidated electronic system remains a challenge in the MHS National Capital Region.
Within the National Capital Region, it is possible for a patient treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center or at the National Naval Medical Center to also receive treatment at the DeWitt Army Community Hospital for both emergency and routine care. Also patients can also donate blood and receive transfusions at either facility. Therefore, it is important to consolidate legacy donor and transfusion information to help reduce the risks of incorrectly identifying donors and blood units.
The Office of the Chief Information Officer’s Defense Health Information Management System (DHIMS) program office wants to overcome this challenge. The DHIMS Enterprise Blood Management System team recently conducted site visits at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C, and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda Maryland to observe current blood donor center business practices.
After the visits, the team conducted a limited scope gap analysis of the current blood donation process flow as it relates to federally regulated and accreditation agency manufacturing of blood products. The gap analysis enabled the team to assess the risks associated with transitioning from the Defense Blood Standard System to the projected Enterprise Blood Management System commercial off-the-shelf product.
“DHMIS Enterprise Blood Management System will consolidate the blood donor information including demographics, testing and transfusion data, and then merge all existing Defense Blood Standard System data into a single global dataset,” said John Welch, Public Health Service Lt. Commander for DHIMS.
Within the National Capital Region, it is possible for a patient treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center or at the National Naval Medical Center to also receive treatment at the DeWitt Army Community Hospital for both emergency and routine care. Also patients can also donate blood and receive transfusions at either facility. Therefore, it is important to consolidate legacy donor and transfusion information to help reduce the risks of incorrectly identifying donors and blood units.
The Office of the Chief Information Officer’s Defense Health Information Management System (DHIMS) program office wants to overcome this challenge. The DHIMS Enterprise Blood Management System team recently conducted site visits at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C, and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda Maryland to observe current blood donor center business practices.
After the visits, the team conducted a limited scope gap analysis of the current blood donation process flow as it relates to federally regulated and accreditation agency manufacturing of blood products. The gap analysis enabled the team to assess the risks associated with transitioning from the Defense Blood Standard System to the projected Enterprise Blood Management System commercial off-the-shelf product.
“DHMIS Enterprise Blood Management System will consolidate the blood donor information including demographics, testing and transfusion data, and then merge all existing Defense Blood Standard System data into a single global dataset,” said John Welch, Public Health Service Lt. Commander for DHIMS.
More Rural Grants Awarded
Colorado’s Governor Bill Ritter just announced that the Colorado Rural Health Care Grant Council has awarded nearly $1.1 million in their third round of grant funding to help healthcare delivery in rural communities. The Council awarded 28 grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 to physical, mental, and oral healthcare providers in 24 counties.
Grantees include Certified Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, public health departments, public and private health clinics, oral health clinics, and mental health clinics and support health IT, construction, remodeling projects, equipment, and staff training.
The Colorado Rural Health Care Grant Program was established in August 2007 with funding of $7.5 million from UnitedHealthcare to be distributed over six years. The Colorado Rural Health Center, Colorado’s non-profit State Office of Rural Health administers the grant program.
The Colorado Rural Health Care Grant Council is co-chaired by Colorado’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ned Calonge and UnitedHealthcare’s Dr. Jacqueline Stiff, Vice President of Health Care Strategies. The Council also includes healthcare consumers, rural healthcare providers, and representatives from the Governor’s Office, and from the Division of Insurance at the Department of Regulatory Agencies, from the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, and from the Department of Local Affairs.
Grantees include Certified Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, public health departments, public and private health clinics, oral health clinics, and mental health clinics and support health IT, construction, remodeling projects, equipment, and staff training.
The Colorado Rural Health Care Grant Program was established in August 2007 with funding of $7.5 million from UnitedHealthcare to be distributed over six years. The Colorado Rural Health Center, Colorado’s non-profit State Office of Rural Health administers the grant program.
The Colorado Rural Health Care Grant Council is co-chaired by Colorado’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ned Calonge and UnitedHealthcare’s Dr. Jacqueline Stiff, Vice President of Health Care Strategies. The Council also includes healthcare consumers, rural healthcare providers, and representatives from the Governor’s Office, and from the Division of Insurance at the Department of Regulatory Agencies, from the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, and from the Department of Local Affairs.
Innovative Ideas on the Agenda
Networks, platforms, and applications to use for technology-enabled participatory medicine will be key discussion points at the 7th Annual Healthcare Unbound Conference & Exhibition. The meeting organized by The Center for Business Innovation will take place at the US Grant Hotel in San Diego on July 19-20, 2010.
“This year’s Healthcare Unbound comes after stimulus funding was provided for health IT and after the passage of national healthcare reform legislation. History will mark 2010 as the tipping point enabling healthcare unbound technologies, clinical systems, and business models to rapidly move forward,” said Vince Kuraitis, JD, MBA, and Principal for Better Health Technologies, LLC, a chairperson, conference advisory board member, and keynote speaker.
The Conference will include over 60 speakers participating in panel discussions, case studies, workshops, and keynote addresses. Sessions will include in-depth coverage of technology-enabled chronic care management and wellness promotion, impact of health reform and the economic stimulus package on the marketplace, legal/regulatory and reimbursement issues, payer perspectives, wireless technologies, the medical home model and the technology implications, social media, ehealth, games and entertainment to engage consumers, and much more.
An Aging Services Educational track co-sponsored by the American Association of Home and Services for the Aging and the Center for Aging Services Technologies will be an important part of the program.
Some of the keynote speakers include:
• Majd Alwan PhD, Director, Center for Aging Services Technologies
• Michael J. Barrett, Managing Partner, Critical Mass Consulting
• Liz Boehm, Principal Analyst, Customer Experience for Healthcare and Life Sciences, Forrester Research
• Cindy, Assistant Director Operational Consulting, Fazzi Associates, Inc.
• Yan chow, MD, MBA, Director of Innovation and Advanced Technology, Kaiser Permanente
• L. Miguel Encarnacao, MS, PhD, Director, Emerging Technology Innovation, Humana Inc.
• Michael Monson, Senior Vice President of Performance and Innovation, Visiting Nurse Service of New York
• Tracey Moorhead, President and CEO, DMAA, The Care Continuum Alliance
• Gordon K. Norman, MD, MBA, EVP, Chief Innovation Officer, Inverness Medical Innovations/Alere
• Charles (Chuck) Parker, Executive Director, Continua Health Alliance
• Ryan Sysko, CEO, Well Doc, Inc.
The target audience needs to attend to not only hear stimulating and innovative ideas but to take advantage of the many networking opportunities that will be available with the “who’s who” in this emerging field.
Health Plans, Providers, Medical Device, Remote Monitoring, Telehealth, eHealth, and Social Media Companies, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Diagnostics Companies, Health IT Companies, Consumer Technology Companies, Government Officials, Consultants, Security Analysts, Investment Bankers, Venture Capitalists, and Home Builders all need to take part in this one of a kind Conference and Exhibition.
TCBI organizes conferences and exhibitions for the U.S. and international markets. For more details on the Conference and Exhibition information, go to www.tcbi.org or phone TCBI at (310) 265-2570, or email sk@tcbi.org.
“This year’s Healthcare Unbound comes after stimulus funding was provided for health IT and after the passage of national healthcare reform legislation. History will mark 2010 as the tipping point enabling healthcare unbound technologies, clinical systems, and business models to rapidly move forward,” said Vince Kuraitis, JD, MBA, and Principal for Better Health Technologies, LLC, a chairperson, conference advisory board member, and keynote speaker.
The Conference will include over 60 speakers participating in panel discussions, case studies, workshops, and keynote addresses. Sessions will include in-depth coverage of technology-enabled chronic care management and wellness promotion, impact of health reform and the economic stimulus package on the marketplace, legal/regulatory and reimbursement issues, payer perspectives, wireless technologies, the medical home model and the technology implications, social media, ehealth, games and entertainment to engage consumers, and much more.
An Aging Services Educational track co-sponsored by the American Association of Home and Services for the Aging and the Center for Aging Services Technologies will be an important part of the program.
Some of the keynote speakers include:
• Majd Alwan PhD, Director, Center for Aging Services Technologies
• Michael J. Barrett, Managing Partner, Critical Mass Consulting
• Liz Boehm, Principal Analyst, Customer Experience for Healthcare and Life Sciences, Forrester Research
• Cindy, Assistant Director Operational Consulting, Fazzi Associates, Inc.
• Yan chow, MD, MBA, Director of Innovation and Advanced Technology, Kaiser Permanente
• L. Miguel Encarnacao, MS, PhD, Director, Emerging Technology Innovation, Humana Inc.
• Michael Monson, Senior Vice President of Performance and Innovation, Visiting Nurse Service of New York
• Tracey Moorhead, President and CEO, DMAA, The Care Continuum Alliance
• Gordon K. Norman, MD, MBA, EVP, Chief Innovation Officer, Inverness Medical Innovations/Alere
• Charles (Chuck) Parker, Executive Director, Continua Health Alliance
• Ryan Sysko, CEO, Well Doc, Inc.
The target audience needs to attend to not only hear stimulating and innovative ideas but to take advantage of the many networking opportunities that will be available with the “who’s who” in this emerging field.
Health Plans, Providers, Medical Device, Remote Monitoring, Telehealth, eHealth, and Social Media Companies, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Diagnostics Companies, Health IT Companies, Consumer Technology Companies, Government Officials, Consultants, Security Analysts, Investment Bankers, Venture Capitalists, and Home Builders all need to take part in this one of a kind Conference and Exhibition.
TCBI organizes conferences and exhibitions for the U.S. and international markets. For more details on the Conference and Exhibition information, go to www.tcbi.org or phone TCBI at (310) 265-2570, or email sk@tcbi.org.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Grants/Loans for Healthcare
ARRA funds for $167.8 million will enable the USDA’s Rural Development Community Facilities Program plus matching funds of $60 million and funds from other sources to provide both grants and loans. Some of this funding is going to be used to provide assistance to healthcare facilities and infrastructure in rural communities.
The following states received funding for rural health projects:
• Alaska’s Sunshine Community Health Center received $150,000 in loans, and $350,000 in grants to provide for a healthcare clinic
• Georgia’s Community Health Care system received $727,180 in loans to construct a new healthcare facility
• Maine’s Houlton Regional Hospital receive $55,000 in grants to renovate a radiology department and install updated scanning equipment
• Missouri’s Medical Delta Center, received $1,300,000 in loans and $250,00 in grants to construct a rural health clinic
• Nebraska’s Memorial Community Hospital received $6,700,000 in loans to remodel hospital
• North Carolina’s Good Hope Hospital received $2,500,00 in loans to construct a 16 bed psychiatric facility
• Oklahoma’s Fairfax Medical Facility received $2,893,277 in loans and $300,000 in grants to construct a green medical clinic
• South Dakota’s Mobridge Regional Hospital received $164,500 in loans and $30,000 in grants to purchase a new intensive care unit monitoring system
• Vermont’s Copley Professional Services Group received $1,382,400 in loans to expand federally qualified health centers
• Virginia’s Tangier Island Health Foundation received $49,879 in grants to purchase a digital x-ray machine
Last week, HHS announced the availability of $83.9 million in grants to help networks of health centers adopt electronic health records and other health information technology systems. The funds are part of the $2 billion allotted to HRSA under the Recovery Act to expand healthcare services to low income and uninsured individuals through its health center program.
The Health Center Controlled Networks provide management, financial, technology and clinical support services. The networks comprised of at least three collaborating organizations are community-based groups support health centers and provide primary healthcare to nearly 19 million patients a number expected to double over the next five years.
Forty five grants will support new and enhanced EHR implementation projects as well as HIT innovation projects. Eligible professionals practicing within health centers that can demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology may be eligible for incentive payments provided under Medicaid and Medicare.
Seven grants were awarded to centers for $3 million with OCHIN in Portland one of the groups receiving $3 million. In addition, in March 2010, OCHIN received $13.2 million to establish the Oregon Health Regional Extension Center program. This funding is part of the stimulus funding and will be used to help over 3,000 Oregon primary care providers install and use EHRs.
The following states received funding for rural health projects:
• Alaska’s Sunshine Community Health Center received $150,000 in loans, and $350,000 in grants to provide for a healthcare clinic
• Georgia’s Community Health Care system received $727,180 in loans to construct a new healthcare facility
• Maine’s Houlton Regional Hospital receive $55,000 in grants to renovate a radiology department and install updated scanning equipment
• Missouri’s Medical Delta Center, received $1,300,000 in loans and $250,00 in grants to construct a rural health clinic
• Nebraska’s Memorial Community Hospital received $6,700,000 in loans to remodel hospital
• North Carolina’s Good Hope Hospital received $2,500,00 in loans to construct a 16 bed psychiatric facility
• Oklahoma’s Fairfax Medical Facility received $2,893,277 in loans and $300,000 in grants to construct a green medical clinic
• South Dakota’s Mobridge Regional Hospital received $164,500 in loans and $30,000 in grants to purchase a new intensive care unit monitoring system
• Vermont’s Copley Professional Services Group received $1,382,400 in loans to expand federally qualified health centers
• Virginia’s Tangier Island Health Foundation received $49,879 in grants to purchase a digital x-ray machine
Last week, HHS announced the availability of $83.9 million in grants to help networks of health centers adopt electronic health records and other health information technology systems. The funds are part of the $2 billion allotted to HRSA under the Recovery Act to expand healthcare services to low income and uninsured individuals through its health center program.
The Health Center Controlled Networks provide management, financial, technology and clinical support services. The networks comprised of at least three collaborating organizations are community-based groups support health centers and provide primary healthcare to nearly 19 million patients a number expected to double over the next five years.
Forty five grants will support new and enhanced EHR implementation projects as well as HIT innovation projects. Eligible professionals practicing within health centers that can demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology may be eligible for incentive payments provided under Medicaid and Medicare.
Seven grants were awarded to centers for $3 million with OCHIN in Portland one of the groups receiving $3 million. In addition, in March 2010, OCHIN received $13.2 million to establish the Oregon Health Regional Extension Center program. This funding is part of the stimulus funding and will be used to help over 3,000 Oregon primary care providers install and use EHRs.
mHealth Programs Worldwide
The report “mHealth for Development” authored by Vital Wave Consulting through the United Nations Foundation and Vodafone Foundation Technology Partnership, details a number of worldwide mHealth programs. The programs are taking place in 26 developing countries that are currently operating, slated for implementation, or will take place in the future.
The United Nations Foundation and the Vodafone Foundation Technology partnership is a public-private alliance to strengthen worldwide technology efforts. Their goal is to examine the use of mobile phones used in healthcare and discuss how mobile health applications can and will impact healthcare.
The report’s 51 case studies show the potential of how mobile health can be used to provide health services and information. Some of the case studies in the report include:
• Project Masiluleke and Text to Change are using SMS message campaigns to provide HIV/AIDS education in South Africa and Uganda. Project Masiluleke sends one million text messages per day throughout South Africa. Messages are written in local languages and direct recipients to the National AIDS Helpline
• Health workers are using PDAs provided by the Ugandan Health Information Network to collect health data in the field resulting in cost savings of 25 percent in the first six months
• TB patients in Thailand were given mobile phones so that healthcare workers could call them on a daily basis to remind them to take their medications. Medicine compliance rates were able to reach 90 percent
• In the Primary Healthcare Nursing Promotion Program, the National School for Nurses in Guatemala used a combination of mobile phones and landline phones to train nurses in this rainforest community
• Incidents of Japanese Encephalitis were tracked real-time in Andhra Pradesh, India, via a combination of mobile phones and web-based technologies to enable the government to provide vaccinations based on the evidence of clusters of outbreaks
• Researchers from the University of Melbourne are creating diagnostic and analytical tools to provide mobile phones to health workers in Mozambique. These tools include a built-in calculator for determining drug dosage and reference materials stored in the phone’s memory
The report details the strategic approach that is needed to improve health outcomes on a massive scale. The first step is to design the program with operators, NGOs, policymakers, and funders in mind. In addition, mobile operators have to be pro active and initiate public-private partnerships, team up with governments and NGOs to address pressing national health issues, and at the same time, collaborate with software providers to develop healthcare solutions.
Next mobile operators need to combine mHealth with the delivery of other mServices such as mBanking and mCommerce. Economic advantages are realized by packaging services with mHealth solutions. Mobile operators need to develop strong relationships with handset manufacturers and cooperate to bring phones and devices to market to provide mHealth and other services needed in developing countries.
According to the report, the mHealth infrastructure can vary in developing countries and therefore operator services need to enhance their networks to increased mHealth activities but at the same time, it is equally important to use simple available technology.
In order to fund projects, grantees need to help themselves. Non-profit and international development funding sources are placing a growing emphasis on demonstrable impact. As a result, mHealth proposals and programs must be able to specify and measure program successes. This is even more critical given the early stage of the mHealth market and the absence of research available for program managers to use.
Go to www.unfoundation.org/global-issues/technology/mhealth-report.html to download the report. For general inquiries call (202) 887-9040.
The United Nations Foundation and the Vodafone Foundation Technology partnership is a public-private alliance to strengthen worldwide technology efforts. Their goal is to examine the use of mobile phones used in healthcare and discuss how mobile health applications can and will impact healthcare.
The report’s 51 case studies show the potential of how mobile health can be used to provide health services and information. Some of the case studies in the report include:
• Project Masiluleke and Text to Change are using SMS message campaigns to provide HIV/AIDS education in South Africa and Uganda. Project Masiluleke sends one million text messages per day throughout South Africa. Messages are written in local languages and direct recipients to the National AIDS Helpline
• Health workers are using PDAs provided by the Ugandan Health Information Network to collect health data in the field resulting in cost savings of 25 percent in the first six months
• TB patients in Thailand were given mobile phones so that healthcare workers could call them on a daily basis to remind them to take their medications. Medicine compliance rates were able to reach 90 percent
• In the Primary Healthcare Nursing Promotion Program, the National School for Nurses in Guatemala used a combination of mobile phones and landline phones to train nurses in this rainforest community
• Incidents of Japanese Encephalitis were tracked real-time in Andhra Pradesh, India, via a combination of mobile phones and web-based technologies to enable the government to provide vaccinations based on the evidence of clusters of outbreaks
• Researchers from the University of Melbourne are creating diagnostic and analytical tools to provide mobile phones to health workers in Mozambique. These tools include a built-in calculator for determining drug dosage and reference materials stored in the phone’s memory
The report details the strategic approach that is needed to improve health outcomes on a massive scale. The first step is to design the program with operators, NGOs, policymakers, and funders in mind. In addition, mobile operators have to be pro active and initiate public-private partnerships, team up with governments and NGOs to address pressing national health issues, and at the same time, collaborate with software providers to develop healthcare solutions.
Next mobile operators need to combine mHealth with the delivery of other mServices such as mBanking and mCommerce. Economic advantages are realized by packaging services with mHealth solutions. Mobile operators need to develop strong relationships with handset manufacturers and cooperate to bring phones and devices to market to provide mHealth and other services needed in developing countries.
According to the report, the mHealth infrastructure can vary in developing countries and therefore operator services need to enhance their networks to increased mHealth activities but at the same time, it is equally important to use simple available technology.
In order to fund projects, grantees need to help themselves. Non-profit and international development funding sources are placing a growing emphasis on demonstrable impact. As a result, mHealth proposals and programs must be able to specify and measure program successes. This is even more critical given the early stage of the mHealth market and the absence of research available for program managers to use.
Go to www.unfoundation.org/global-issues/technology/mhealth-report.html to download the report. For general inquiries call (202) 887-9040.
Study Shows Improvement
A new clinical study shows that telehealth patients experienced a significant improvement in care and quality of life over a 12 month evaluation period according to the final results of the Catalan Remote Management Evaluation (CARME). CARME was conducted at the Spanish Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol with support from Philips. The promising results are being presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s Heart Failure Congress in 2010 in Berlin.
The 92 patients in the study were heart failure patients who used the Philips Motiva system an interactive telehealth system with motivational support tools in the home. The patients spent less time in the hospital and felt that their quality of life had significantly improved over the 12 month evaluation period.
This is the first time that a telehealth system combining remote patient monitoring with motivational educational support tools has been researched and studied and the results demonstrate significant additional value and effectiveness for managing the health of chronically ill heart failure patients.
Previous studies have analyzed the advantages of telehealth in terms of patient care, decrease in hospital admissions, and cost savings. This study demonstrates the additional benefit for patients that result when educational and motivational tools are also used to improve their quality of life.
The study monitored patients with severe heart failure at home while being managed by the Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol Heart Failure Clinic. The interactive telehealth system connected the patients to their healthcare providers via their home television and broadband internet connection.
The patients in the CARME study were randomly assigned to two groups. In one group, the patients received care plan-driven educational videos, motivational messages, and questionnaires. The second group received the same information but was also requested to monitor their blood pressure, pulse rate, and weight.
Patients took vital measurements in their home and communicated the information to their physician via the system. Physicians were able to send the patients educational and motivational information to help manage their health.
Results from using the equipment in the home were compared with clinical outcomes 12 months prior and showed:
• A decrease of 68 percent in heart failure related hospitalizations
• The number of days spent in the hospital were reduced by 73 percent
• Patients showed a continuous and significant improvement in their perception of quality of life over the 12 month observation period—an improvement that ranged from 62 to 72 percent
• Satisfaction with the telemonitoring system was high especially in patients who had vital measurements added to their educational and motivational tools. Up to 81 percent of these patients wanted to keep the solution in addition to their regular care
• By disseminating patient and disease specific information via the television helps family members gain a better understanding of how to support their loved ones in coping with their disease
Also, as part of the EU-funded My Heart research project, Philips and partners are developing an advanced heart failure management system that may provide more comprehensive information about a patient’s condition and enable earlier intervention.
This experimental heart failure management system consists of a wearable vest with an embedded innovative sensor designed to assess the accumulation of fluid in the lung. In addition, the research project will explore comprehensive patient-centric solutions based on innovative sensors for chronic disease management at home.
For more information contact Sabinevan Deursen, Philips Healthcare Communications at +31 (0) 40 2785 093 or email sabine.van.deursen@philips.com.
The 92 patients in the study were heart failure patients who used the Philips Motiva system an interactive telehealth system with motivational support tools in the home. The patients spent less time in the hospital and felt that their quality of life had significantly improved over the 12 month evaluation period.
This is the first time that a telehealth system combining remote patient monitoring with motivational educational support tools has been researched and studied and the results demonstrate significant additional value and effectiveness for managing the health of chronically ill heart failure patients.
Previous studies have analyzed the advantages of telehealth in terms of patient care, decrease in hospital admissions, and cost savings. This study demonstrates the additional benefit for patients that result when educational and motivational tools are also used to improve their quality of life.
The study monitored patients with severe heart failure at home while being managed by the Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol Heart Failure Clinic. The interactive telehealth system connected the patients to their healthcare providers via their home television and broadband internet connection.
The patients in the CARME study were randomly assigned to two groups. In one group, the patients received care plan-driven educational videos, motivational messages, and questionnaires. The second group received the same information but was also requested to monitor their blood pressure, pulse rate, and weight.
Patients took vital measurements in their home and communicated the information to their physician via the system. Physicians were able to send the patients educational and motivational information to help manage their health.
Results from using the equipment in the home were compared with clinical outcomes 12 months prior and showed:
• A decrease of 68 percent in heart failure related hospitalizations
• The number of days spent in the hospital were reduced by 73 percent
• Patients showed a continuous and significant improvement in their perception of quality of life over the 12 month observation period—an improvement that ranged from 62 to 72 percent
• Satisfaction with the telemonitoring system was high especially in patients who had vital measurements added to their educational and motivational tools. Up to 81 percent of these patients wanted to keep the solution in addition to their regular care
• By disseminating patient and disease specific information via the television helps family members gain a better understanding of how to support their loved ones in coping with their disease
Also, as part of the EU-funded My Heart research project, Philips and partners are developing an advanced heart failure management system that may provide more comprehensive information about a patient’s condition and enable earlier intervention.
This experimental heart failure management system consists of a wearable vest with an embedded innovative sensor designed to assess the accumulation of fluid in the lung. In addition, the research project will explore comprehensive patient-centric solutions based on innovative sensors for chronic disease management at home.
For more information contact Sabinevan Deursen, Philips Healthcare Communications at +31 (0) 40 2785 093 or email sabine.van.deursen@philips.com.
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