The contract has been led by the European Centre for Connected Health (part of Northern Ireland's Public Health Agency) who worked in partnership with, and on behalf of, the five Health and Social Care Trusts.
Over the next six years, a consortium of three companies will provide a telemonitoring service to Northern Ireland (RTNI) which will support over 3 500 people a year. The £ 18 million (approx. € 21.5 million) system will help to reduce the pressure on frontline services by enabling people to be cared for in the community - a key aspect of the Government's ambition for health services in Northern Ireland.
Mr Poots said: "Connected Health is quite a simple concept - by using companies with innovative technologies and products, we enable more patients to manage their condition at home which means fewer visits to hospital and provides opportunities for local companies to reap the rewards."
He added: "By using advanced technology in the right way, we enable patients and carers to monitor their condition at home, which leads to earlier intervention and reduces admissions to hospital."
"This is at the very heart of where our health service needs to go - we need to be more flexible, put the patient at the centre and ensure more people have the chance to stay at home with their families," he further added.
Patients with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and heart conditions, take their readings which are transferred automatically into a secure server which can be assessed by their healthcare worker.
Mr Howard is a 71-year-old who has begun applying the new service. He 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, his local healthcare professional is alerted.
"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 [...]" he said.
"The telemonitoring [...] also gives me more control over managing my own condition [...] and I'm less of a cost to the health care system [...]" he further added.
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Quelle/Source: epractice, 10.01.2012
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