As of 2007, the Moray area of Scotland had not
made significant use of telehealth technologies as a complement to
traditional national health services. Recognising the potential
benefits of such technologies for improving quality of life and
generating cost-savings, the Moray Community Health and Social Care
Partnership asked Distance Lab to investigate and pilot solutions that
could impact strongly in certain health priority areas for the Moray
region.
A particular focus of the project thus far has been the respiratory
condition known as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). COPD
is a degenerative and debilitating long-term lung disease that makes
it harder for people to breath. Other symptoms include wheezing,
cough, excess mucus and phlegm, chest pain, chest infection, and
difficulty in walking.
COPD is the 5th most common cause of overall mortality in the UK.
An estimated 95,042 people in Scotland have COPD, over 1,000 of which
reside in the Moray area. The direct cost of COPD to the NHS in
Scotland was estimated at over £98.5 million in 2004/05.
Flare-ups (exacerbations) are times when COPD gets much worse. An
exacerbation often results in emergency admission and always worsens
the overall state of a person's COPD. People with COPD can avoid
exacerbations by understanding their symptoms, and taking action when
they anticipate a flare-up.
There is evidence that health monitoring with telehealth systems
enables people with COPD and clinicians to help prevent health
episodes which could lead to emergency admission to hospital.
Distance Lab has been investigating the potential of a wide range
of current and emerging products that might impact on the management
of long-term chronic conditions, focusing in particular on COPD.
Together with National Health Service contacts in Moray, we are
facilitating a pilot of one such emerging solution during the winter
of 2007-08.
As a result of its build-up of knowledge in this area, Distance Lab
has also identified several gaps in the current telehealth technology
market and is developing its own innovative solution that might impact
in this care area in a different way. More details of this project
will be added in the future.
Links
Coming soon...
