A recently published study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that telemonitoring of patients with chronic heart disease did not improve outcomes. The study included 1,653 patients who had recently been hospitalized for heart failure. About half the group underwent telemonitoring, while the remainder had usual care. The "telemonitoring" solution used was a telephone-based interactive voice response system that collected daily information about symptoms and weight and was then reviewed by clinicians.
The study examined readmissions, death, hospitalizations for heart failure, number of days in hospital and number of hospitalizations. According to the study: "Among patients recently hospitalized for heart failure, telemonitoring did not improve outcomes. The results indicate the importance of a thorough, independent evaluation of disease-management strategies before their adoption."
The results are in sharp contrast to a review of 25 studies that included more than 9,500 heart failure patients published earlier this year.
This past August, a group of researchers that reviewed 25 studies concluded that remote monitoring of patients with chronic heart disease cuts healthcare costs, improves quality of life and reduces the number of hospital admissions. The review included results from some 9,500 patients. It compared telephone and remote monitoring to standard care.
The group that used telephone support were patients who provided health data like heart rate and rhythm, blood pressure and weight to a care provider over the phone, while telemonitoring users had their data transmitted via a wired or wireless transmission to their care provider. Within the telemonitored group, 102 patients died per 1,000 compared with 154 deaths per 1,000 under standard care. Telephone support and standard care had similar mortality rates: 112 deaths per 1,000 for telephone support vs. 127 deaths per 1,000 for standard care.
More on the new study over at NEJM
