Monitoring system increases long-term patients' independence

February 2006

Consultants at Newham University Hospital NHS Trust can now read patients' vital signs and assess them in their homes through an Internet-based monitoring system.

In a nutshell
Organisation:	Newham University Hospital
Problem:	Patients from the Long Term Conditions Programme have had to make frequent visits to A&E or be visited at home unnecessarily by nurses, affecting their independence, comfort and sometimes their health.
Solution:	Effective monitoring of vital signs and assessments through web-based communication.
Products:	CareCompanion Home Monitoring Solution.
Supplier:	Home Telehealth Limited.
Benefits:	Enables monitoring of progress without the need for hospital visits. Cuts patient and nurse travelling time to and from hospital. Increases hospital resources. Increases independence and comfort of patients. Increases security of patient health through daily assessments.

Photo of man measuring own blood pressure The solution, supplied by Cardiff's Home Telehealth Ltd, has been designed for patients on the Trusts Long Term Conditions Programme who are suffering from congestive heart failure and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The system interacts with the patient through an easy-to-read touchscreen, collecting vital signs data from various medical devices, asking questions that help healthcare professionals to assess the condition of the patient and providing reminders to patients. The system sends the data automatically through the patients home telephone line to a web-based server which the caregiver can then access through a secure website. It also notifies him or her automatically if any readings exceed preset thresholds.

Closer monitoring of the patients condition and any resultant warning that the condition is changing enables the nurse to intervene more quickly and more accurately.

The telemonitoring system is very popular with patients as it affords both increased independence and peace of mind. I am very grateful to have this system because I know that both my nurse and GP will receive my vital signs and assessments every day, said one such patient. This means I can stay out of A&E and remain at home where I am more comfortable.

The Trust chose the Home Telehealth CareCompanion system after a thorough analysis of the telemonitoring market. According to Angela Single, Programme Manager of the Long Term Conditions Programme, it is the most suitable telemonitoring system, providing indepth collection, assessment and review of patient information, and it works seamlessly with the Long Term Conditions care provider to allow a patient to stay healthier in their home.

We have been working with homecare professionals in many countries to develop an effective, easy-to-use home monitoring system, said Home Telehealths Managing Director Peter Range. Our work with Brunel and other UK universities too has helped us to tailor our products and services to the needs of the NHS. We are particularly pleased to be implementing this ground-breaking programme where health, social services and housing are all working together to deliver improved community care.

Newhams patient-monitoring system was implemented as a result of funding from the NHS Service Transformation Redesign and Innovation Project (STRIP), which gives individual trusts an opportunity to make use of funding set aside from the Strategic Health Authorities to redesign their current services or to create new services that will revolutionise patient care.

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