Home Monitoring Technologies
Home monitoring technologies allow patients to be monitored at home rather than in traditional clinical settings. It is critical in the treatment of chronic disorders such as diabetes and hypertension. They have the potential to greatly improve a patient's quality of life. Blood pressure gauges and breath flow monitors are two examples of home monitoring technologies. Home monitoring devices are increasingly being used by providers and patients, particularly for chronic disease management. Patient demand is a major motivator for their use.
Advantages of Home Monitoring Technology
Home monitoring technology has significant advantages for both patients and healthcare practitioners. Various research have looked into the benefits to healthcare systems. Among the outcomes are improved health care efficiency, enhanced quality, cost efficiency, and safety (Saquibal, 2012). Home monitoring technologies reduce the need for hospital visits. Therefore, patients incur fewer costs in accessing healthcare services due to the innovation in care delivery. Since many people are living longer, the incidences of chronic diseases and disability have been on the rise. The move by health care providers towards an outcome-based reimbursement model controls costs and incentivizes patient outcomes. If patients can effectively manage chronic illnesses such as diabetes, there is less likelihood for costly medical episodes to occur. The effective measurement of home monitoring technology outcomes may involve tracking the mortality rates, co-morbidities, medication efficacies, and average life expectancies. The technologies reduce the rate of hospitalizations for those having chronic conditions. Implantable devices for the remote monitoring of patients save millions of dollars due to fewer hospitalizations. They also enhance the comprehensive provision of real-time monitoring of physical activities and vital signs (Mihailidis, 2008). Doctors can access the data for the management of chronic diseases and predict if there are necessary interventions. Patients can also buy tracking devices to help in the management of their conditions. It leads to a reduction in their health insurance premiums. At-risk patient populations can also benefit by suing remote monitoring devices. A growing consumer interest in health and fitness can enable physicians to obtain high quality of data. Therefore, there could be a reduction in healthcare costs and improvement of health outcomes through the continuous tracking of at-risk and healthy vital signs to prevent the incidences of emergent conditions.
Improved Quality of Care and Patient Satisfaction
Home monitoring technologies also lead to better quality of care and improved patient satisfaction. Patients can take better control of their health because they have the access to the technologies at home (Saquibal, 2012). They can also achieve better quality because of a reduction in anxiety and hospital stays. Most patients value remaining at home to receive their care as opposed to being in hospitals. There is also increased healthcare team productivity. Therefore, it enables more efficiency in patient case management for more patients. With the technologies, each physician can support a large group of patients. The technologies also enhance collaborations between healthcare providers.
Improved Quality of Life
The outcomes are majorly based on the improved quality of life for patients. They can access care without traveling long distances to hospitals (Saquibal, 2012). Emergencies that require hospital admissions are less likely to arise because patients have more time to control any emerging symptoms.
Cons of Home Monitoring Technologies
Although there are benefits to the technologies, there are also some potential drawbacks. These drawbacks may arise because of poor technology designs, inadequate planning and maintenance, and poor technology interface with the environment or patient (Mihailidis, 2008). For instance, physicians can focus too much on data from monitors at home and fail to detect important changes in clinical status. Older patients who are more accustomed to hospital visits may not feel that they are getting adequate care if they use home monitoring tools (Mihailidis, 2008). Some of them may not use the tools accurately and thus lead to potential adverse consequences on their health.
Conclusion
Home based technology has offered a paradigm shift in the deployment of health services. The emergence of many chronic conditions due to a higher life expectancy necessitates a new approach to complement the traditional health care model. For their maximum benefit, healthcare providers should offer training to their staff and patients. Continuous evaluation of the programs is necessary to increase its efficiency.
References
Mihailidis, A. (2008). The Acceptability of Home Monitoring Technology among Community-
Dwelling Older Adults and Baby Boomers. Assistive Technology, 20(1), 1-12.
Saquibal, M. A. (2012). Helping Patients Help Themselves. International Journal of User-
Driven Healthcare, 2(2), 52-57.
