Telecare System for Cardiac Surgery Patients: Implementation and Effectiveness / 대한의료정보학회지

OBJECTIVES: To manage a patient's blood pressure and recovery, and to reduce unnecessary hospital visits after heart surgery, we developed and established a telecare service. METHODS: We established and test-operated the system that enabled biometric data to be measured and monitored at home, and directed connections to the video consultation with monitoring personnel and medical staff when abnormal symptoms were detected. RESULTS: As a result of using the telecare service with patients discharged from the hospital after undergoing heart surgery, the patients were mostly satisfied with the service and use of the equipment, and some patients wanted to actually receive the service continuously along with a device which could be more easily used. CONCLUSIONS: Telecare services are greatly needed for patients discharged after heart surgery for a certain period of time. A model should be developed which provides devices necessary for each disease in package form and customizes the content and services in one package.

A Study on the Factors Influencing the Accuracy of Chest Compression during Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Trying in a Moving Ambulance

PURPOSE: The study offers the recommended guidelines for EMTs to improve their CPR techniques in an ambulance by analyzing external factors to perform more effective and accurate chest compression in a moving ambulance while patients are being transported to hospital. METHODS: Seventeen of the first class EMTs at GyeongGi- Do agreed to participate in the research. In order to analyze the factors that have influenced the accuracy of chest compression, the type of ambulance (Van-type, Truck-type), velocity of a moving ambulance (60, 70, 80 km/hr), chest compression posture (standing, knee supported) and assistive devices (Main stretcher car, CPR board, Long Spine board) for chest compression were compared to each other. The research was conducted according to the phased procedure in an attempt to evaluate the difference between the chest compression posture and the assistive devices in appropriateness of chest compression. RESULTS: The findings of this study included that chest compression posture and the use of assistive devices influenced the effectiveness of chest compression. With regard to compression depth, the chest compression that occurred on the main stretcher in ambulances while in the standing position, were the least effective. Chest compression that occurred on a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation board (CPR board) was the most effective in the supported posture. In addition, the accuracy of chest compression was higher in a supported posture than in a standing posture. In both postures, the accuracy of chest compression was higher when a CPR board or a Long spine board (LSB) were used, than when a main stretcher was used. CONCLUSION: The study showed that the chest compression posture and the use of assistive devices had an effect on appropriateness of chest compression. As for posture during chest compression, the accuracy of chest compression increased when knees were supported. Also, the study suggested that the use of CPR board among other assistive devices for chest compression was the factor contributing to an increase in the effectiveness of chest compression depth.