A new digital health tool for the telemonitoring of patients with scleroderma during iloprost administration: a feasibility and acceptability study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of a new device for telemonitoring vital parameters during iloprost infusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a pilot study, patients with systemic sclerosis received iloprost infusion while being telemonitored with Umana T1 Heart Monitor, within the hospital, under the supervision of family/community nurses and rheumatologists. Patients were administered a questionnaire to obtain information on satisfaction, practicability, and compliance with the new monitoring device. RESULTS: Data recorded by the device for blood pressure, heart rate, and oximetry were concordant with those registered directly by nurses. Most patients found the device useful and thought it could be used at home, even while working. CONCLUSIONS: Umana Heart Monitor T1 could be a valuable aid in at-home iloprost therapy in patients with systemic sclerosis.

[Criteria for the evaluation of environmental hygiene]. / Criteri di valutazione della qualità dell'igiene ambientale.

The process of rationalizing resources brought the health care institutions and hospitals to let out some services, including the cleaning and sanitation services. In order to write the tender the hospital had to specify both the expected standard of service (i.e. what should be cleaned, how, how many times etc) and the evaluation criteria. The experiences of two community hospitals (Vigevano and Garbagnate) are presented, focusing on the method and criteria they adopted. In both experiences the head nurses were the main responsible for the definition of the criteria, the forms and the process of evaluation. Garbagnate hospital gave priority to outcome criteria (i.e. lack of dust on surfaces, lack of spots on heaters etc.). The 84 criteria identified were divided as follows: 7 criteria for the structure and resources, 6 for the process and 71 for the outcome, with a yes-no-not applicable evaluation. The focus of the other hospital was on process criteria (to be assessed on a 5 points Likert scale, from absent to 100% compliance) and on the knowledge-educational level of the personnel responsible for the cleaning.