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 .
Telemedical care reduces hypoglycemias and improves glycemic control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.
Education programs for intensive insulin therapy were found to be valuable in improving glycemic control , but , due to low prevalence of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents , access to those programs varies considerably in rural areas . We report on a telemedical care program that overcomes geographical isolation of patients on intensive insulin therapy . Sixty-one children and adolescents under the age of 26 participated in a telemedical care program . They stored daily information on blood glucose , injected insulin , meals and exercise  in a glucosemeter with electronic memory and transferred the data via modem go a remote diabetes center outside of the region . By individual telephone consultations from home , they review ed the data with a diabetologist at the diabetes center and adjusted their intensive insulin therapy in order to achieve predefined treatment goals . Patients were trained for 19 ( 6 - 48 ) weeks in the program and measured blood glucose 4.9 ( 1.7 - 4.9 ) times daily . Compared to the run-in-period , mean blood glucose had decreased ( 167 to 158 mg/dL , p < 0.01 ) , st and ard deviation of blood glucose had decreased ( 81 to 70 mg/dL , p < 0.001 ) , and frequency of hypoglycemia had decreased ( 5.2 to 3.3 in 4 weeks , p = 0.01 ) at the end of the program . The proportion of blood glucose values within the target range ( 80 - 180 mg/dL ) had increased ( 47 - 55 % , p < 0.001 ) . HbAlc was reduced by 0.4 % ( -3.8 to + 2.2 % , p < 0.05 ) . Telemedical care for intensive insulin therapy is safe , can improve glycemic control , and reduce the number of hypoglycemias in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes
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 .