Telemedicine in chronic heart failure - Experiences and results from the integrated care concept "Telemedicine for the heart"

Abstract:
Chronic heart failure (CHF) is linked with an extreme constraint of quality of life, a poor long-term prognosis and a high frequency of hospital admissions. Nevertheless it is statistically underdiagnosed and under-treated, persons concerned often having a lack of knowledge about the condition. Health care professionals from the TK and the GFCI have thus developed the integrated care programme "Telemedicine for the heart" aiming at improving these deficits. It addresses patients with CHF classified NYHA II and higher with a history of decompensation in the last six months. In the course of the 27 months that every individual stays in the programme, specially trained nursing staff regularly call the participants on the phone. Weight, blood pressure and pulse subject to the NYHA-status are telemonitored. Educative elements complement the concept that intends to sensitise persons concerned for early signs of cardiac decompensation that can in most cases be adequately treated in the ambulatory sector. Objectives of the programme are, amongst others, to optimize communication between all health care professionals tending to the patient, ameliorate pharmaceutical treatment of CHF, reassure and train patients in order to enhance a self dependent handling of the condition therewith reducing costs, mortality and hospitalisations.