E-reminders improve med adherence in patients with chronic conditions

from FierceHealthIT:

Sending electronic reminders to patients is a simple yet effective way to improve medication adherence of patients with chronic conditions, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.

The researchers, from several institutions in the Netherlands, noted that one of the primary reasons that patients with chronic conditions have a hard time adhering to long term treatment is forgetfulness. While reminders may help, personal reminders from providers require an extensive time investment, while "reminder packaging" doesn't actively remind patients. The researchers hypothesized that electronic reminders may be a better option.

Full text at:
http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/e-reminders-improve-med-adherence-patients-chronic-conditions/2012-04-30

Telehealth on mobiles rolling out to thousands of patients in Somerset (UK)

from Telecare Aware:

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.

Full text at:
http://www.telecareaware.com/index.php/telehealth-on-mobiles-rolling-out-to-thousands-of-patients-in-somerset-uk.html