While patients are interested in technology that would allow at-home management of chronic conditions, they will still look to physicians for guidance and condition management strategies, according to a study in Telemedicine and e-Health.
In the study, researchers surveyed 15 congestive heart failure patients who had been given at-home monitoring devices, such as an ambulatory blood pressure device. The study participants reported these technologies to be informative, convenient and helpful in providing early warning of worsening conditions.
The results showed that while patients generally saw the benefits in using technology for disease management, satisfaction with their current disease management strategy, a mistrust of technology and a reliance on their current provider to manage their condition hindered their use of technology.
Understanding patients' perceptions of technology and the barriers to adoption of at-home monitoring solutions can help providers develop strategies to help patients make use of these new technologies, according to the researchers.
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