Study design (if review, criteria of inclusion for studies)
Observational study
Participants
Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).
Interventions
Telemonitoring for a period of 10 years, with the aims to prove the sustainability of the methodology (transmissions of spirometry from the patients' home to the doctors and feedback from the doctors to the patients by phone call from the hospital).
Outcome measures
Sustainability of the methodology (transmissions of spirometry from the patients' home to the doctors and feedback from the doctors to the patients by phone call from the hospital). Costs . Four years of observation and a simulation of total long-term costs between 2010 and 2020.
Main results
Potential saving of euro40,397.00 per patient for 10 years, actualized at euro36,802.97 for the follow-up of all patients enrolled.
Authors' conclusions
The results from the study suggest that telemedicine can improve the health of patients with CF. It is a relatively cheap and potentially sustainable solution, compared to standard clinical trials. However, to establish and prove the long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, more controlled psychological and behavioral studies are needed.
Keywords: adult; telemedicine; non pharmacological intervention - psyco-soc-edu-org; Home; non pharmacological intervention - devices OR physiotherapy; Organization;