Impact of the implementation of telemanagement on a disease management program in an elderly heart failure cohort.
The purpose of the present investigation is to examine the impact of a telemanagement component on an outpatient disease management program in patients with heart failure (HF). A total of 282 patients in whom HF was diagnosed and who were enrolled in an outpatient HF program were included in this analysis. One hundred fifty-eight patients additionally participated in a self-directed telemanagement component. The remaining 124 patients received care at an HF clinic but declined telemanagement. During the 7-month tracking period, 19 patients in the HF clinic plus telemanagement group and 53 patients in the HF clinic only group were hospitalized for cardiac reasons (log rank, 36.0; P<.001). The HF clinic only group had a significantly higher risk for hospitalization (hazard ratio, 4.0; 95% confidence interval, 2.4-6.7; P<.001). The results of the present study indicate that telemanagement is an important component of a disease management program in patients with HF.
Gambetta
Miguel
M
The Community Health Care System, Munster and Hobart, IN, USA.
Dunn
Patrick
P
Nelson
Dawn
D
Herron
Bobbi
B
Arena
Ross
R
D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007196:Indiana; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000458:organization & administration*