Cost effectiveness of a telerehabilitation program to support chronically ill and disabled elders in their homes.

Chronic illnesses account for approximately 75% of all healthcare costs in the United States today, resulting in functional limitations and loss of independence, as well as increased medical expenditures. The elderly population is at a higher risk for developing chronic conditions, increasing their risk for disabilities. Given the rapid growth of the aging population, and the chronic illnesses, disabilities, and loss of functional independence endemic to elders, novel methods of rehabilitation and care management are urgently needed. Telehealth models that combine care coordination with communications technology offer a means for managing chronic illnesses, thereby decreasing healthcare costs. We examined the effects of a Veterans Administration (VA) telerehabilitation program (Low Activities of Daily Living [ADL] Monitoring Program-LAMP) on healthcare costs. LAMP is based on a rehabilitative model of care. LAMP patients received adaptive equipment and environmental modifications, which focused on self-care and safety within the home. LAMP Care Coordinators remotely monitored their patient's vital signs and provided education and self-management strategies for decreasing the effects of chronic illnesses and functional decline. The matched comparison group (MCG) received standard VA care. Healthcare costs 12 months preenrollment and 12 months post-enrollment were examined through a difference-in-differences multivariable model. Using actual costs totaled for these analyses, no significant differences were detected in post-enrollment costs between LAMP and the MCG. For LAMP patients, the provision of adaptive equipment and environmental modifications, plus intensive in-home monitoring of patients, led to increases in clinic visits post-intervention with decreases in hospital and nursing home stays.

E-learning and telehealth: measuring your success.

Organizations that provide training for their employees are interested in translating training expenditures into benefits. Even though there are several common methodologies that are used to train employees, finding the right methodology to stimulate learning and develop a competent workforce while reducing fiscal burdens can be challenging. One such method that continues to grow in popularity is e-learning. For the purpose of this discussion, e-learning refers to Internet-based or online training. The Veterans Health Administration's (VHA's) Office of Care Coordination (OCC) was established in July 2003 to oversee the national implementation of its telehealth initiatives. As part of this implementation, the OCC created a national center, the Sunshine Training Center, to work directly with the VHA's Employees Education System (EES) to develop a home telehealth Web-based curriculum. After 3 years, the Sunshine Training Center and EES initiated an Impact Evaluation Process. Over five hundred staff completed the online impact survey. This number represented a 74% response rate. Staff responded overwhelmingly in the positive on the benefits of e-learning for building telehealth skills.

Age-related differences in quality of life in cancer patients: a pilot study of a cancer care coordination/home-telehealth program.

The cancer care dialogues model emphasizes daily telehealth interactions between patients and a care coordinator (a registered nurse serving as a liaison to the oncologist) to assist patients in the management of common chemotherapy-related symptoms at home. We examined the impact of the dialogues on age-related differences in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among newly diagnosed cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. We assessed HRQOL among 34 patients, including 15 older adults (65 years or older) and 19 younger adults who were followed for 6 months. Older patients consistently reported better HRQOL scores over the treatment period. In multivariate analysis, older patients reported 10.35 points higher in HRQOL (P = .007). In addition, patients who reported no nervousness while undergoing chemotherapy had an 8.60-point increase in HRQOL scores (P = .012). The dialogues model can make important improvement in symptom management and HRQOL, especially in older adults receiving chemotherapy. Older and younger adults with cancer may benefit equally in cancer treatment in a setting with appropriately managed symptoms. The dialogues model offers promising potential for promoting nurses' better understanding of both the patient needs as the patient receives treatment and innovative technologies in patient management.