INTERVENCION DE TELEMONITORIZACION

Structured summary
Title: Evaluation and impact of a primary care-based telemonitoring intervention
in home care patients with heart failure or chronic lung disease.
Randomised controlled trial. The TELBIL study.
Authors: Iñaki Martín Lesende, Estibalitz Orruño, Juan Carlos Bayón, Amaia
Bilbao, Itziar Vergara, Mª Carmen Cairo, José Asua, María Isabel Romo,
Roberto Abad, Eva Reviriego, Jesús Larrañaga.
Keywords: Telemonitoring, chronic diseases, heart failure, chronic lung disease,
effectiveness, hospital admissions, hospital stay, primary care, in-home
patients, elderly patients.
Date: june 2013
Pages: 99
References: 70
Language: Spanish, abstracts in Spanish, Basque and English.
L.D.: VI 769-2013
Introduction
As a consequence of the ageing of the population, it is estimated that
the prevalence of chronic diseases will have a major increase. Chronic patients
are characterised for the high use of healthcare resources, elevated rates of
hospital admissions and a high prevalence of disability and dependence during
the course of the disease. In a health system like ours with limited resources
there is a pressing need to adapt and to search for new approaches
to healthcare. In this context, the application of Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) applied to the monitoring of chronic patients
provides new healthcare alternatives. Home telemonitoring can promote
patient self-care, improve compliance with medication schedules, facilitate
the detection and early treatment of exacerbations and improve patient
management following hospital discharge. Moreover, telemonitoring seems
to improve the quality of life of patients and family members/caregivers.
In order to shed some light on the potential benefits that may be associated
to telemonitoring, a randomised controlled trial was carried out (Current
Controlled Trials ISRCTN89041933). The main features of this clinical trial
were that the telemonitoring process was managed from primary care by the
referral health professionals (GPs and nurses) of each patient at his/her Health
Centre and that several pathologies were dealt with simultaneously.
Objectives
The main aim of this study was to determine the impact of a home
telemonitoring intervention on the number of hospital admissions and the
INFORMES, ESTUDIOS E INVESTIGACIÓN 21