[ANMCO/SIC/SIT Consensus document: The future of telemedicine in heart failure].
Telemedicine applied to heart failure patients is a tool for recording, remote transmission, storage and interpretation of cardiocirculatory parameters and/or diagnostic images, useful, as emphasized by the latest guidelines, to allow for intensive home monitoring in patients with advanced heart failure or during the vulnerable post-acute phase to improve the prognosis and quality of life for patients.Recently, several meta-analyses have shown that the patterns of care supported by telemedicine are not only effective, but also economically advantageous. The benefit is unquestionable with a 30-35% reduction in mortality and a 15-20% reduction in hospitalizations. Patients implanted with cardiac devices can also benefit from an integrated remote clinical management as all modern devices can transmit technical and diagnostic data. However, telemedicine can bring benefits to the patient with heart failure only if it is part of a shared and integrated, multidisciplinary and multiprofessional "Chronic Care Model". Moreover, the future development of remote telemonitoring programs in our country goes through the primary use of products certified as medical device, field validation of organizational solutions proposed, a legislative and administrative adaptation to new care methods and the widespread growth of competence in clinical care to remotely manage the complexity of chronicity.With this consensus document the Italian Cardiology reaffirms its willingness to contribute to the government of the tumultuous and fragmented technological development, proposing a new phase of qualitative assessment, standardization of processes and testing the application of telemedicine to heart failure.
S.C. Centro Cardiovascolare, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata, Trieste.
Andrea
A
Di Lenarda
S.C. Cardiologia, Nuovo Ospedale Versilia, Lido di Camaiore (LU).
Giancarlo
G
Casolo
U.O.C. Cardiologia, Ospedale Garibaldi-Nesima, Azienda di Rilievo Nazionale e Alta Specializzazione "Garibaldi", Catania.
Michele Massimo
MM
Gulizia
U.O.C. Cardiologia-UTIC, Presidio Ospedaliero San Filippo Neri, Roma.
Nadia
N
Aspromonte
U.O. Cardiologia Riabilitativa, Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri, Lumezzane (BS).
Simonetta
S
Scalvini
U.O. Cardiologia Clinica e Scompenso Cardiaco, Policlinico di Monza, Monza.
Andrea
A
Mortara
Unità Integrata Scompenso Cardiaco, Ospedale di Assisi, Assisi (PG).
Gianfranco
G
Alunni
S.C. Cardiologia, Nuovo Ospedale Versilia, Lido di Camaiore (LU).
Renato Pietro
RP
Ricci
U.O. di Cardiologia-UTIC, Ospedale M. Bufalini, Cesena (FC).
Roberto
R
Mantovan
Segretario Generale Società Italiana Telemedicina e sanità elettronica (SIT), Roma.
Giancarmine
G
Russo
Presidente Società Italiana Telemedicina e sanità elettronica (SIT), Firenze.
Gian Franco
GF
Gensini
U.O.C. Cardiologia e Cardiologia Interventistica, Policlinico "Tor Vergata", Roma.
Francesco
F
Romeo
D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000639:trends; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000639:trends*; D013686:Telemetry