Telehealth pilot helps patients with kidney disease
A remote telehealth pilot has shown promise for patients living with chronic kidney disease (CKD), yielding positive trial results in both patient satisfaction and patient support.
The pilot was also awarded the Innovation Prize this month in the telemedicine category at Hit Paris, France’s annual health IT tradeshow.
In a collaborative effort among Grenoble University Hospital, Calydial dialysis centers of France and AGDUC health center in France, patients living with CKD were selected to take part in a trial using remote patient monitoring technology provided by Canadian-based telecommunications provider, TELUS and Orange, the French communications company.
[See also: Telehealth helps cardiac patients improve conditions, study reveals.]
Patients in their homes were given e-tablets, connectivity and software to monitor their vital signs, manage their medication and treatment protocols and provide feedback to their care team. Early positive results have demonstrated the potential to replicate this solution across other institutions and for other chronically ill patients.
The pilot uses a network-centric, multi-function application that allows patients with conditions that require daily monitoring to coordinate with their healthcare providers from home. Patients and caregivers are able to access the application through a secure wireless network.
[See also: Remote health monitoring pegged at 3 million users by 2016.]
Kasra Moozar, vice president, TELUS Health Solutions explained that TELUS, has “ more than 10,000 patients using its remote patient monitoring technology to manage their chronic condition from the safety and comfort of their own home." Moozar said that the technology allows them to turn “information into better health outcomes for citizens."
"Telemedicine has the power to transform the way that healthcare is delivered, said Thierry Zylberberg, executive vice president, Orange Healthcare. “These telemedicine solutions can have a positive impact on care quality for chronic disease patients and care delivery for healthcare providers."
