Telehealth

Connecticut Valley Home Care, Newport, NH has found tremendous success with its tele-health monitoring program, an electronic system that allows the agency to track a patient's vital signs and medical status remotely. Tele-health systems can monitor patients who live in rural areas, where daily visits are more difficult. The system, which requires a patient to check in electronically on a daily basis, allows greater independence and promotes self-care, an important aspect of disease management.

The eight tele-health monitors to be utilized by CVHC allow patients to monitor their vital signs, weight, and medications, and receive reminders of scheduled activities. Results are electronically submitted to nurses and doctors at CVHC, increasing the speed that clinical information is transmitted to the treatment team.

Currently, 60 percent of home health agencies in the country are using tele-health. Of that 57 percent report a strong reduction in hospital readmissions and 44 percent report improvements in their overall outcomes according to the July/August 2006 Success in Home Care Article, "Tele-health Bears Fruit." An additional study conducted in cooperation with Medicare by the State University of New York and reported in Home Care Automation Report article called "Evidence of Home Tele-health Efficacy Abounds at Annual Meeting" states that significant savings in healthcare costs through the use of home Tele-health for Congested Heart Failure (CHF) patients was found. The study also found that patients using Tele-health at home to manage their CHF experienced a 41percent reduction in physician office visits, 33 percent fewer emergency room visits and a 29 percent hospitalization reduction.

According to CVHC year-end report for 2006, heart disease and Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) were the most common reason for readmission to the hospital. Thus, this initial disease management program is being piloted with patients who have Congested Heart Failure.

Through the hospital's current electronic patient record system, Patient Care Technologies, CVHC is launching the Well@Home product for the Tele-health program. For more information about this event or to learn what Connecticut Valley Home Care has to offer, call (603) 543-6800.