Future Prospects of Homecare Monitoring for Advanced Heart Failure Patients

Aims: We reported the Remote Patient Management (RPM) system for advanced heart failure (HF) care using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tool that patient's vital information was shared between patient himself, home doctor and us. Methods: Using Teijin's community care-system for multidisciplinary approach in ICT network system “vital link”, physiological data were shared including social networking service (SNS).Electronic monitoring equipment tagged with Near Field Communication (NFC), were provided to the patients. Their data sent to the cloud computer was shared with linked mobile device. We interviewed the patients, doctors and nurses who involved in “vital link”. Results: From February 2015 to December 2016, 4 HF patients were enrolled (3 male, 69 to 80 year-old). Within 1 week, one patient was discontinued due to hospitalization for worsening HF. There were 60 times input for 60 days, and 1483 times input for 163 days, and 541 times input for 122 days. It could provide the patients with the security and the feeling of satisfaction. Onerousness of inputting NFC was a problem. Medical stuffs of our hospital have felt ambiguous as to feedback these information. Local home doctors have satisfied for easy access to patient's data. With stable use of “vital rink”, there were no emergent admission. Conclusion: The ICT tool would be useful, when the home doctors commit to this system.