In a recent study at University of California, Los Angeles, telemonitoring for heart failure patients failed to lower hospital readmission or deaths compared to regular care. These results stand in contrast with many other studies demonstrating the benefits of remote patient monitoring and telemedicine as tools to provide quick, convenient access to care, especially for individuals with chronic conditions.
While this particular study did not achieve the desired results, it still offers insight on best practices for using telemedicine to improve care outcomes.
The study consisted of six California hospitals and nearly 1,500 heart failure patients. Half received the telemonitoring intervention and half received regular care. Those in the telemonitoring groups received a Bluetooth-enabled scale and automated blood pressure machine that transmitted data to a call center at UCLA. Call center nurses checked in weekly with patients and called patients if any issues came up.
At the end of the study, 30-day and 180-day readmission rates for patients in the telemonitoring group were no better than those in the control group. However, 30-day mortality rate slightly dropped in the telemonitoring group but was no better within 180 days.
Here are three lessons from the telemedicine study, whose results were presented at the 2015 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.
1. The type of technology could affect outcomes. Newer technology like Fitbits and Apple Watches are less obtrusive, therefore could be easier to use and help improve outcomes.
2. Additionally, technology isn't for everyone. Michael Ong, MD, PhD, lead author of the study, said not every person feels comfortable using technology. Dr. Ong indicated patients in the telemonitoring group liked having somebody watch over them, but the technology may have gotten in the way.
3. In such studies, there are many moving parts. "We have to find out what's going to work in managing all these patients without seeing them in the clinic all the time," said Mariell Jessup, MD, past president of the American Heart Association and medical director of the Heart and Vascular Center at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. "There may be that there's one more piece to the study that may be the magic formula. Or this hope in monitoring them remotely is just false hope."
More articles on telemedicine:
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TouchCare launches tools to support telemedicine visits: 5 things to know