title: Home telehealth in high-risk dialysis patients: a 3-year study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study is a continuation of a previous pilot project that demonstrated improved health outcomes and significant cost savings using home telehealth with nurse oversight in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing chronic dialysis. We are reporting the results of a larger sample size over a 3-year study period to test the validity of our original observations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-nine patients were included in this study; 43 (18 females, 25 males) with a mean age of 58.6 years were enrolled in the remote technology (RT) group, and 56 (26 females, 30 males) with a mean age of 63.1 years were enrolled in the usual-care (UC) group. Health resource outcome measures included hospitalizations, emergency room (ER) visits, and number of days hospitalized. Economic analysis was conducted on hospital and ER charges.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hospitalizations (RT, 1.8; UC, 3.0), hospital days (RT, 11.6; UC, 25.0), and hospital and ER charges (RT, $66,000; UC, $157,000) were significantly lower in the RT group, as were hospital and ER charges per study day (RT, $159; UC, $317).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support our previous findings, that is, home telehealth can contribute to improved health outcomes and cost of care in high-risk dialysis patients.
authors.affiliation: St. Francis Healthcare Foundation, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. dayna@hopehawaii.org
authors.forename: Dayna E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Minatodani
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Berman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006699:Home Care Services; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D007688:Kidneys, Artificial; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064691:Nurses, Community Health; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017216:Telemedicine