Virtual nursing? CHF patients interact via the Net
Internet may automate healing process
The Internet may soon help congestive heart failure (CHF) patients improve their quality of life while reducing health care costs. Newport Beach, CA-based LifeMasters began a study last fall that compares three groups of Medicare patients diagnosed with heart failure — a traditional care group, a telephonic interactive voice response intervention group, and an Internet intervention group. So far, the study is demonstrating a 67% increase in nurse efficiency through the automation of data collection and paperwork.
Fifty patients in the Internet intervention group are supplied with a personal computer, an Internet service connection, and computer training and maintenance.
Each day, patients go to a central Web site, submit their personal password, and enter their vital signs and symptoms. Upon noticeable changes in a patient’s daily record, a staff nurse contacts the patient for information verification, then issues an alert report to the patient’s physician by fax, e-mail, or telephone.
The Internet study is showing enhanced compliance and reduced costs. Admittedly, say study authors, providing 50 patients with hardware and training is costly, but the goal of the study is to determine whether patients of Medicare age — typically not computer literate — can be persuaded to use the Internet to better their care. If they can, the technology empowers them to take an active role in their own disease management. It prompts them to take their medications and comply with other daily routines as prescribed by their physician.
The patients’ pages on the Web site also provide educational information and news stories related to their condition and chat rooms that give patients additional support by offering interaction with health care professionals and others with CHF.
The use of the Internet in disease management allows practitioners to monitor large numbers of patients with multiple diseases, to customize programs to patients’ needs, and to immediately communicate potentially catastrophic changes in the patients’ conditions. Patient confidentiality is protected through the use of passwords and encryption. Data servers reside on LifeMasters’ secured internal network.
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