| dc.description.abstract | Background. Currently little is known about the added value of telehomecare for CVD patients as experienced by patients, healthcare professionals and healthcare organizations. The aim of this study was to investigate the added value and the most commonly used devices with telehomecare by means of the following research question: “what is the added value of telehomecare for heart patients, healthcare professionals and healthcare organizations?”
Methods. The added value of telehomecare and the most commonly used devices were researched by means of a systematic literature review (SLR), meta-analysis, and semi-structured interviews. Inclusion criteria for the SLR and meta-analysis were: English language, peer reviewed, outpatient, non-invasive telehomecare used by patients with coronary artery diseases (CAD), cardiac arrhythmia, or chronic heart failure (CHF). Semi-structured interviews were used to provide additional context on the added value which resulted from the SLR and meta-analysis. Study participants included medical staff, cardiologist, eHealth experts, and healthcare suppliers.
Results. 1462 studies were found in the initial literature search, respectively 44 and 25 met the inclusion criteria of the SLR and meta-analysis. All studies primarily focused on patients suffering from CAD or CHF. The most commonly used devices were weight scales, ECG devices, and blood pressure devices. In the articles included in the literature search, fifteen outcomes of added value were found for CAD and CHF. For CAD no outcomes were found which were in favor of the intervention group, whereas for CHF twelve outcomes were in favor of the intervention group, such as: all-cause/cardiac mortality, all-cause/CHF re-admission and LoS, all-cause/cardiac/CHF hospitalization, and Self Care Index of Heart Failure. The participants provided additional information on the experiences of healthcare professionals, organizations and caregivers, which were lacking in the literature search.
Discussion. Resulting from the quantitative study is a reduction of hospitalization, re-admission and mortality. The qualitative research added experiences, such as an increased feeling of safety and the experienced troubles and lacking knowledge with the technology. Although added value of telehomecare is experienced by patients, healthcare professionals, organizations and caregivers, the latter three parties are underexposed in the literature. As such, further research and more attention should be given to telehomecare for CVD. | |
