Please select the arm or intervention descriptions that belong to the clinical trial below.
Title: Home Rehabilitation Via Telemonitoring of Vital Signs to Prevent Exacerbations in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Brief Summary: COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the world and is the only one of the top five illnesses whose death rate is still increasing. It is mainly caused by smoking. Greece has a higher prevalence and death rate for COPD than many other countries in Europe. The disease is incurable so treatment is aimed at alleviating symptoms and slowing progression. Despite maximal medication and strategies such as pulmonary rehabilitation and home nurse support, many patients remain vulnerable, socially isolated and report difficulty in accessing their local health services. Research has shown that patients have worsening symptoms for an average of three to four days before they are admitted to hospital with an exacerbation of COPD. This suggests a window of opportunity to intervene. Early warning and contact via innovative technology may treat symptoms earlier, improve patient confidence / quality of life and simultaneously reduce health care visits or admissions. However, there is a large gap between the postulated and empirically demonstrated benefits of electronic Health Technologies. In addition, there is a lack of robust research on the risks of implementing these technologies and their cost-effectiveness has yet to be demonstrated, despite being frequently promoted by policymakers as if this was a given issue. In addition, the evidence-base for telehealth is not well-reported in peer reviewed journals and hence there continue to be difficulties experienced in convincing clinicians, hospital managers and stakeholders that investment in such technologies will enable reductions in other aspects of healthcare delivery over time.

This project attempts to provide robust justification of the effectiveness of telerehabilitation by the implementation of a randomized controlled trial blindly assigning COPD patients to: i) a home care and telerehabilitation group remotely monitored by a specialised private health care centre (Filoktitis - group A) or ii) a hospital-based rehabilitation group managed at a regular base through weekly visits by personnel at a state University rehabilitation centre (group B). iii) A third group that receives usual care (group C: control group; i.e.: neither home monitoring nor hospital based rehabilitation) is also included.


Options:
A: Arm Label: QualiCCare education; Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Behavioral: active comparator, QualiCCare education | Arm Label: usual care; Type: NO_INTERVENTION; Interventions: N/A | Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL; Name: active comparator, QualiCCare education; Assigned to Arm(s): QualiCCare education
B: Arm Label: Group A, Telerehabilitation; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Other: Telerehabilitation | Arm Label: Group B, Hospital based Rehabilitation; Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Other: Hospital based Rehabilitation | Arm Label: Group C, Usual care Group; Type: NO_INTERVENTION; Interventions: N/A | Intervention Type: OTHER; Name: Telerehabilitation; Assigned to Arm(s): Group A, Telerehabilitation | Intervention Type: OTHER; Name: Hospital based Rehabilitation; Assigned to Arm(s): Group B, Hospital based Rehabilitation
C: Arm Label: Person-centred care at distance; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Behavioral: Person-centred care at distance | Arm Label: Usual Care; Type: NO_INTERVENTION; Interventions: N/A | Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL; Name: Person-centred care at distance; Assigned to Arm(s): Person-centred care at distance
D: Arm Label: Targeted self-management barrier support; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Behavioral: Self-management barrier support | Arm Label: Guided COPD education; Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Behavioral: Basic COPD Education | Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL; Name: Self-management barrier support; Assigned to Arm(s): Targeted self-management barrier support | Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL; Name: Basic COPD Education; Assigned to Arm(s): Guided COPD education

Answer: B