Effectiveness of Home-Based Health Messaging for Patients With Hypertension and Diabetes

Study Summary

Patients treated at Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers are older and have multiple chronic conditions. Two of the most common conditions in the VA population are hypertension (HTN) and Type 2 diabetes (DM). Unfortunately, DM and HTN have few perceptible symptoms on a daily basis that motivate patients to comply with treatment recommendations and lifestyle changes. Thus, serious complications and long-term adverse outcomes are common in both of these conditions. Home telehealth is a general term used to describe the delivery of health care services to the patient's home using audio, video, or other telecommunications technologies. Although home telehealth offers a number of theoretical advantages, few well-designed controlled clinical trials have been conducted to establish efficacy and cost benefit. Furthermore, projects to date have focused on special populations, e.g., heart failure or mental illnesses. Since home telehealth may hold the most promise for individuals dealing with multiple chronic illnesses, there is a need for population-based studies addressing the needs of patients in primary care settings. Care coordination, as defined by the VHA Office of Care Coordination, is a process of assessment and ongoing monitoring of patients using home telehealth to proactively enable prevention, investigation, and treatment that enhances the health of patients and prevents unnecessary and inappropriate use of resources. Care coordination embeds technology into a care management process. This results in the right care, at the right time, in the right place.

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• BEHAVIORAL In Home Health Messaging Device

Study Locations (1)