Telehealth Research

Below is a selection of recent research that shows the benefits of telehealth for people with chronic illnesses.  For full citation of these and other studies, please see Additional Telehealth Research Citations.

Veterans Health Administration (VHA) finds home telehealth is an appropriate and cost-effective way of managing chronic care patients

Between July 2003 and December 2007, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) introduced a national home telehealth program, Care Coordination/Home Telehealth (CCHT), and found that  home telehealth is an appropriate and cost-effective way of managing chronic care patients in both urban and rural settings. Routine analysis of data obtained shows a 25% reduction in numbers of bed days of care, 19% reduction in numbers of hospital admissions, and mean satisfaction score rating of 86% after enrollment into the program. Read more (PDF) >> 

Proactive Integrated Care Reduces Critical Care & Improves Quality-of-Life in COPD  

This University of Colorado study finds that integration of disease-specific education and self-management strategies coupled with remote monitoring reduces critical care needs, improves quality of life, improves clinical parameters and may decrease mortality in patients with advanced COPD, suggesting substantial therapeutic potential. Read the abstract here >>

 Proactive Integrated Care Improves a Constellation of Outcomes in COPD

A European Respiratory Society abstract explains that a PIC program substantially improved a variety of key clinical outcomes, suggesting the importance of integrated models of care for chronic disease. Specifically, PIC lowered COPD-related admissions to the intensive care unit and by decreasing mechanical ventilations; decreased COPD-related urgent office visits; improved the smoking rate, presence of cough and sputum production, and post exercise oxygen saturation; and significantly decreased mortality rates. Read the abstract here >>

Telemonitoring/eHealth Management Improves Quality of Life and Healthcare Expenditures

This University of Colorado study of 40 stage 3 or 4 COPD patients finds that telemonitoring can significantly reduce the cost of health care. In the study, healthcare costs declined by US$1,401 in the group of patients receiving proactive integrated care, compared with an increase of US$1,709 in the group of patients receiving usual care. Read the abstract here >>