Informa: world’s largest telehealth trial sees limited cost benefits
By Jamie Beach July 23rd, 2012
The results are in from the world’s largest trial of telehealth systems, and whilst the programme appears to have improved participants’ life expectancy, it has not had a significant impact on the cost of managing long-term conditions at home, according to Informa Telecoms & Media (publisher of IP&TV News).
Sheridan Nye, Senior Analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media
Sheridan Nye of Informa Telecoms & Media describes the findings as frustrating for telehealth advocates
The UK’s Whole System Demonstrator (WSD) programme monitored the progress of 3,230 people with diabetes, pulmonary disease or heart failure over the course of 12 months from 2008-9.
In the first of five peer-reviewed evaluations just published, academics from the Nuffield Trust and eight universities conclude that the reduction in hospital admission costs is “not significant”, being equivalent to around GB£ 188 (US$ 292) per patient per year.
On the positive side however, patients which participated in the programme were “significantly less likely to die” within the 12 months than the control group, and hospital stays were measurably shorter.
“The cost findings will be frustrating for telehealth advocates, especially as services were shown to have prolonged lives – a notable 45% improvement in mortality rate over the control group,” said Sheridan Nye, Senior Analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media. “But the cost equation must be solved if healthcare providers are to invest both in the technology and inevitable organisational disruption.
The two-year, GB£ 31mn program was rolled out in three regions of the UK to test different impacts of telehealth and telecare. The results have been eagerly awaited around the world, reflecting both the size of the trial and its careful monitoring of control groups. A total of 6,191 patients and 238 GP practices took part overall.
By Jamie Beach July 23rd, 2012
The results are in from the world’s largest trial of telehealth systems, and whilst the programme appears to have improved participants’ life expectancy, it has not had a significant impact on the cost of managing long-term conditions at home, according to Informa Telecoms & Media (publisher of IP&TV News).
Sheridan Nye, Senior Analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media
Sheridan Nye of Informa Telecoms & Media describes the findings as frustrating for telehealth advocates
The UK’s Whole System Demonstrator (WSD) programme monitored the progress of 3,230 people with diabetes, pulmonary disease or heart failure over the course of 12 months from 2008-9.
In the first of five peer-reviewed evaluations just published, academics from the Nuffield Trust and eight universities conclude that the reduction in hospital admission costs is “not significant”, being equivalent to around GB£ 188 (US$ 292) per patient per year.
On the positive side however, patients which participated in the programme were “significantly less likely to die” within the 12 months than the control group, and hospital stays were measurably shorter.
“The cost findings will be frustrating for telehealth advocates, especially as services were shown to have prolonged lives – a notable 45% improvement in mortality rate over the control group,” said Sheridan Nye, Senior Analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media. “But the cost equation must be solved if healthcare providers are to invest both in the technology and inevitable organisational disruption.
The two-year, GB£ 31mn program was rolled out in three regions of the UK to test different impacts of telehealth and telecare. The results have been eagerly awaited around the world, reflecting both the size of the trial and its careful monitoring of control groups. A total of 6,191 patients and 238 GP practices took part overall.