Remote COVID-19 patient monitoring system: a qualitative evaluation

Abstract

BackgroundMany COVID-19 patients are discharged home from hospital with instructions to self-isolate. This reduces the burden on potentially overwhelmed hospitals. The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) Home Monitoring Programme (HMP) is a model of care for COVID-19 patients which chiefly tracks pulse oximetry and body temperature readings.ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the HMP from a patient perspective.Design, settings and participantsOf 46 COVID-19 patients who used the HMP through RMH during April to August 2020, 16 were invited to participate in this qualitative evaluation study; all accepted, including 6 healthcare workers. Attempts were made to recruit a gender-balanced sample across a range of COVID-19 severities and comorbidities. Participants completed a brief semistructured phone interview discussing their experience of using the HMP.Outcome measures and analysisA thematic analysis of interview data was conducted. Feasibility was defined as the HMP’s reported ease of use. Acceptability was considered holistically by reviewing themes in the interview data.ResultsThe HMP allowed clinical deterioration to be recognised as it occurred enabling prompt intervention. All participants reported a positive opinion of the HMP, stating it was highly acceptable and easy to use. Almost all participants said they found using it reassuring. Patients frequently mentioned the importance of the monitoring clinicians as an information conduit. The most suggested improvement was to monitor a broader set of symptoms.ConclusionsThe HMP is highly feasible and acceptable to patients. This model of care could potentially be implemented on a mass-scale to reduce the burden of COVID-19 on hospitals. A key benefit of the HMP is the ability to reassure patients they will receive suitable intervention should they deteriorate while isolating outside of hospital settings.

Technological Advances in Electronics and Computing for Elderly Healthcare

“…This fact was even more pressing in highly complex global health situations, such as the one that recently occurred in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, where countless people had to isolate themselves in their homes, requiring online monitoring. 7,8 Electronic and computing technologies have significantly advanced with increasingly smaller and more integrated devices. Commercial equipment, such as smartphones, provides several sensors to collect data on physical activities and dietary information, giving an overview of an older person's lifestyle.…”

A Systematic Review on ICT-based Remote and Automatic COVID-19 Patient Monitoring and Care

“…COVID-19 has become and still is a serious global health threat. COVID-19 spreads through close interaction and contact with infected people [1][2][3]. It spreads rapidly due to invasive treatment methods.…”

“…Among patients with severe COVID-19, the median time from symptom onset to severe symptoms averaged 8-10 days. Complications from COVID-19 often require hospitalization and can be life-threatening [1][2][3]. COVID-19 has brought excessive psychological and moral stress and work demands to patients, physicians, medical institutions, and society [2,3].…”

“…COVID-19 has brought excessive psychological and moral stress and work demands to patients, physicians, medical institutions, and society [2,3]. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, patient monitoring and prevention methods were tied to where patients were treated in the hospitals [1].…”

“…RPM benefits healthcare providers during the pandemic by facilitating hospitals that are already overcrowded and allowing patients to be monitored and treated at home. Additionally, RPM reduces patients' time in situations where the COVID-19 virus potentially can spread [1][2][3][4]. In addition to the pandemic, RPM can keep patients away from high-cost environments in hospitals and at home, improving the patient experience while reducing costs [1][2][3][4].…”