Remote telemonitoring combines technology and services that enable patients with chronic diseases to test their vital signs

THE latest technology and healthcare are working hand in hand to help thousands of people in Northern Ireland with long term chronic conditions take more control of managing their health in their own homes.

Remote telemonitoring combines technology and services that enable patients with chronic diseases to test their vital signs such as pulse, blood pressure, body weight, temperature, blood glucose and oxygen levels at home on a daily basis. The service is now being rolled out to 3,500 patients across Northern Ireland per annum for a period of six years.

Larne pensioner Michael Howard, 71, has hailed the innovative Telemonitoring NI service as “life-changing”, while his wife describes the equipment as “a godsend”.

Mr Howard who has emphysema – a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath – monitors his vital signs using the new technology every weekday morning. The information is monitored centrally and if readings show signs of deterioration to an unacceptable level, Mr Howard’s local healthcare professional is alerted.

While the telemonitoring system means less visits to the GPs’ surgery and hospital for Mr Howard, he says he has never felt more supported by the medical profession.

“I have two local nurses who monitor my signs through telemonitoring and I know I can contact them on their mobile if I need to. If they or I notice a deterioration in my vital signs they will either contact me by telephone or pop round to my house to see me. It is so reassuring to know that I can contact a medical person if I need to without having to leave my house.

“I do not want to be going to A&E where I have to sit for hours in a waiting room maybe picking up other infections from other sick people. I find it much easier to recover from an infection in my own home and telemonitoring not only allows me to do this, it also gives me a better quality of life. It is a fantastic service and I would recommend it to anyone.”

He added: “Taking my readings is such a simple process but one that gives me huge benefits as it is an early warning system to me and also for the specialist nurses in charge of my care. Without the remote telemonitoring I would be running back and forward to the GPs’ surgery all the time to have things checked out.

“Having my signs monitored by a nurse means any changes in my condition are dealt with immediately and this has prevented me from being admitted to hospital – in the past I’ve had to spend six days in hospital any time I’ve been admitted with a chest infection.

“I’ve had emphysema for 15 years and during that time it has been getting progressively worse. I am very breathless, cannot walk very far without gasping for breath and now have to use a stair lift as I can’t walk up stairs without breathing difficulties.”

Mr Howard, who has been on the new Telemonitoring NI scheme for over a month following a two and a half year spell on the pilot scheme, said his life has changed dramatically thanks to the new technology.

“Telemonitoring is not only reassuring for me, it also gives me more control over managing my own condition and as a result I have less upheaval in my life, and I’m less of a cost to the health care system,” he explained.

“I have not been in hospital once since monitoring my own signs and beforehand I would have had at least three hospital stays a year. Each time I was admitted to hospital with a chest infection I would be there for six days on antibiotics. Now if I feel I’m getting a chest infection I can check my vital signs and start taking my antibiotics immediately.

“Most importantly, telemontoring gives me peace of mind and one less thing to worry about at my age.”

Mr Howard’s wife Doreen hailed the service as a “godsend” saying telemonitoring has made a massive difference to their lives.

“It can be hard for the person who loves and cares for someone with a long term chronic condition as there is always an element of worry,” she said.

“However, with Telemonitoring NI you feel you are not so alone in keeping a watchful eye as someone is looking at my husband’s vital signs once a day. It’s great too that we know to approach the two nurses if there is a problem and we feel reassured that they know Michael and his medical history.”

The rollout of telemonitoring follows funding of £18m from the Department of Health, which allowed the Centre for Connected Health and Social Care (CCHSC), part of the Public Health Agency (PHA), to work in partnership with business consortium TF3 to establish the innovative service.

It is now being delivered by the TF3 consortium in partnership with the Health and Social Care Trusts.

Eddie Ritson, programme director of CCHSC, PHA, said: “The roll-out of Telemonitoring NI represents a significant step towards providing quality care for the growing number of people with heart disease, stroke, some respiratory conditions  and diabetes who want to live at home while having their conditions safely managed.

“This technology will give people more information, and hence control, over their health while supporting them to live independently in their own homes for longer by alerting care providers to any change in their patients’ daily readings that might mean a deterioration in their condition, so that they can decide whether an intervention is necessary.

“A patient will take their vital sign measurements at home and these will automatically be transmitted to the Tf3 system. The resulting readings are monitored centrally by a healthcare professional working in the Tf3 triage team. If the patient’s readings show signs of deterioration to an unacceptable level, a healthcare professional in the patient’s local Trust is alerted to enable them to take appropriate action. Families and carers will also benefit from the reassurance that chronic health conditions are being closely monitored on an ongoing basis.”

Patients seeking further information about the new telemonitoring service should contact their healthcare professional.

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/lifestyle/features/modern_technology_is_life_changing_1_3432778