RESULTS The magnitude and significance of the telemonitoring effects on patients ' conditions ( e.g. , early detection of symptoms , decrease in blood pressure , adequate medication , reduced mortality ) still remain inconclusive for all four chronic illnesses .
However , the results of this study suggest that regardless of their nationality , socioeconomic status , or age , patients comply with telemonitoring programs and the use of technologies .
Importantly , the telemonitoring effects on clinical effectiveness outcomes ( e.g. , decrease in the emergency visits , hospital admissions , average hospital length of stay ) are more consistent in pulmonary and cardiac studies than diabetes and hypertension .
Home telemonitoring of chronic diseases seems to be a promising patient management approach that produces accurate and reliable data , empowers patients , influences their attitudes and behaviors , and potentially improves their medical conditions .
OBJECTIVE Home telemonitoring represents a patient management approach combining various information technologies for monitoring patients at distance .
This study presents a systematic review of the nature and magnitude of outcomes associated with telemonitoring of four types of chronic illnesses : pulmonary conditions , diabetes , hypertension , and cardiovascular diseases .
Using the vista 350 telephone to communicate the results of home monitoring of diabetes mellitus to a central database and to provide feedback
PURPOSE Self-monitoring of blood glucose has become routine practice in the management of diabetes mellitus . When all the data is complete , however , the amount of information to be taken into account when making therapeutic decisions becomes overwhelming not only for the patient but for the healthcare provider . Computers excel at processing large amounts of information quickly and impassively , which makes them potentially helpful for collating and communicating the data in a manner that facilitates decision-making by patient and healthcare provider . This should in turn improve control and help prevent acute and chronic complications . METHOD Using the Vista 350 telephone , we have developed a system that enables patients with diabetes to record home monitoring data to a central data base and receive feedback summaries . A small trial was conducted to determine if the Vista 350 telephone is an acceptable and feasible method to communicate the results of home monitoring of diabetes mellitus to a central data base and receive feedback summaries . A total of 35 volunteers with insulin-requiring diabetes mellitus in the London area were r and omly allocated to either use the Vista 350 phone for 6 months , or to a control group that continued to use traditional methods for recording home monitoring data . RESULTS 33 of the 35 patients enrolled completed the trial . All 16 patients who began using the phone continued to do so for 6 months confirming the feasibility of the system . Question naires completed at 3 and 6 months confirmed the Vista 350 telephone system to be acceptable to the subjects . The results will enable some minor modifications to be made to the telephone system before a larger definitive trial , design ed to determine the effect on diabetes control , is conducted later this year
RESULTS The magnitude and significance of the telemonitoring effects on patients ' conditions ( e.g. , early detection of symptoms , decrease in blood pressure , adequate medication , reduced mortality ) still remain inconclusive for all four chronic illnesses .
However , the results of this study suggest that regardless of their nationality , socioeconomic status , or age , patients comply with telemonitoring programs and the use of technologies .
Importantly , the telemonitoring effects on clinical effectiveness outcomes ( e.g. , decrease in the emergency visits , hospital admissions , average hospital length of stay ) are more consistent in pulmonary and cardiac studies than diabetes and hypertension .
Home telemonitoring of chronic diseases seems to be a promising patient management approach that produces accurate and reliable data , empowers patients , influences their attitudes and behaviors , and potentially improves their medical conditions .
OBJECTIVE Home telemonitoring represents a patient management approach combining various information technologies for monitoring patients at distance .
This study presents a systematic review of the nature and magnitude of outcomes associated with telemonitoring of four types of chronic illnesses : pulmonary conditions , diabetes , hypertension , and cardiovascular diseases .