NHS Somerset has begun rolling out telehealth equipment to thousands of its patients as part of a scheme that will allow them to monitor long-term health conditions from home. As part of a three-year, £1.2m contract, 4,000 NHS patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease and diabetes will be able to monitor their health and vital signs remotely. The scheme uses the system from Safe Patient Systems with touchscreen mobile phones programmed with personalised care plans. Each day the phones will prompt patients to answer key questions about their health and will automatically capture their vital physical signs. Telehealth has been used in Somerset for some time, but this is the first time mobile devices have been involved. Some patients have said they prefer using mobile phones instead of the previous Tunstall system which used a 'box' located in the living room.
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