Ageing population, significant increase in chronic diseases and limited financial and manpower resources are common challenges faced by healthcare systems across the world. “We need to change,” said Newman.
Newman’s year-long study showed a successful reduction in mortality and emergency hospital admissions.
It also provided reliable evidence for the UK government in policy making. The authority has since expanded the telehealth initiative, with three million people marked to receive medical devices.
TeleHealth
Patients from three disease areas, namely diabetes, congestive heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, were given devices that could transmit information about their condition to healthcare professionals for review.
“If necessary, healthcare professionals can call the patient, his or her carer or doctor, or even call an ambulance.”
“For example, one of the symptoms for patients suffering from congestive heart failure is water retention, which results in weight gain. The weighing device at home can track his or her weight data over time, and alert the healthcare professional if it is too high,” he said.
In other cases, patients will need to manually input information, such as to report a swollen ankle.
Telecare
Patients under the telecare trial are generally the elderly population, aimed to allow seniors to live safely in their own homes.
“Devices are used to track if they have gone out of bed, are moving, or have gone out the front door,” added Newman.
Telehealth in urban settings
The trial was conducted across three different regions of England, namely Newham, Kent and Cornwall.
Philips Healthcare was a key partner in the telehealth trial in Newham, a London borough of over 300,000 residents.
According to Fernando Erazo, Senior Director, Head of Philips Healthcare Hospital to Home Asia Pacific, Newham has similar composition and landscape like Singapore.
“Singapore is in a privileged position to create a sustainable telehealth model,” said Erazo. “The conditions are right - political leadership, integrated care model, literacy of patients, willingness to change and adopt technology.”
Erazo added that the successful trial in Newham demonstrates that telehealth also has a key role to play in a highly urban space.
“Many people associate telehealth with remote or rural areas. But this project shows that in developed cities when care is available just around the corner, telehealth has its advantages,” he said.
Newman agreed that the environment is fertile for telehealth to take flight in Singapore. He believes that the country is of sufficient size and organisation that to enact structural and cultural change more easily than in other environments.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Kelly Ng
Quelle/Source: futureGov, 16.12.2013
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