Telehealth Award

Telehealth can provide benefits to patients, healthcare providers, and to community projects. This award will recognise the organisation that demonstrates the most innovative use of use of information and communication technology (ICT) to deliver health services, expertise and information over distance.

2009 Winner: Orchard Medical Centre / South Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust

The Orchard Medical Centre in Bristol is a general practice serving 13,500 patients. In March 2007 the practice commenced a project designed to assess the potential for using telehealth equipment in a Primary Care setting.
As a joint venture between NHS South Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire Council community care & housing department, it was funded by a technology grant from the council.

The monitors are used in conjunction with other medical devices depending on the needs of the patient. The monitor itself is programmed with a series of health related questions, tailored by the patient’s health practitioner. Each day at a pre-set time the monitor will prompt the patient to take their vital signs measurements and answer their health questions, and this information is then automatically and securely transmitted for review by the healthcare team. An alert is raised if the user fails to send data, or if the information received falls outside set parameters.

All patients found the equipment straightforward to use, and found that it provided a sense of reassurance to them and their families and carers. It also resulted in increased medication compliance, as patients understood the monitor would detect the results of this over time.

As well as helping to avoid hospital admissions and reduce some of the burden on secondary care providers, it provides a cost-effective model of care for the management chronic heart failure. Patients better understand their own healthcare, improving their condition and lifestyle.

As a result of the success of the project, the Orchard Medical Centre is looking to expand the use of telehealth within Gloucestershire, through closer involvement and collaboration with other local GP practices.

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