Netherlands-based St. Antonius Hospital, together with e-health company Luscii, has developed home monitoring for hospitalised COVID-19 patients.

WHY IT MATTERS

COVID-19 patients who have not yet fully recovered, but are stable, may voluntarily take early discharge. Once this happens, they receive home monitoring to ease the transition via a program in the Luscii app, where they are able to report their oxygen saturation levels, temperature and symptoms on a daily basis.

A team of pulmonologists and co-assistants assess the data trends and make contact if necessary. In the case of deterioration, rapid adjustment of the treatment may prevent a readmission. The medical team is also available to patients by telephone for additional questions.

A survey showed that 97% of patients were very satisfied with home monitoring and all users would recommend this form of care to their loved ones.

The results from the first COVID-19 wave show a reduction of an average of five admission days per patient. This is based on 33 patients who were monitored at home during April and May. 

THE LARGER CONTEXT

The NuvoAir Home platform released studies on paediatric pulmonology from the UK and Sweden, demonstrating that both young and adult patients with respiratory disease can achieve good quality spirometry at home, without clinical supervision, when using their home tool.  

Also competing in the home monitoring field, is multinational services network, Deloitte, which recently rolled out a new home-monitoring and remote-care feature to its ConvergeHEALTH MyPath platform.

ON THE RECORD

Agnes Grutters, a fifth-year co-assistant at St. Antonius Hospital, said: "We saw the shortage of beds increasing and therefore wanted to create a nursing ward at home in a safe way, so that the hospital retains capacity without adding an extra burden onto GPs.

"As a requirement, patients had to be able to manage themselves at home. This home monitoring can actually be seen as a bridge between the hospital and the GP. Fortunately, we can include an unlimited number of patients at no extra cost. This flexibility is needed now that the number of admissions continues to rise."