A feasibility study to investigate the acceptability and potential effectiveness of a telecare service for older people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

摘要

Aims: To investigate the feasibility, acceptance and potential effectiveness of delivering a telecare service on the health outcomes and hospital service utilization of community-dwelling patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Methods: Eligible participants were older people, with moderate or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and who had been admitted to hospital at least once for exacerbation during the previous year. The participants were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Participants in the intervention group received a telecare device kit and they were asked to monitor their oxygen saturation, pulse rate and respiration rate using the device and to transmit the data to an online network platform. A medication and purse-lip breathing reminder with a feedback function is also provided in the device kit. A community nurse monitors changes in the physiological parameters and takes immediate action to address the patients' needs. Participants in the control group received no other extra care. Study outcomes include user satisfaction, health-related quality of life, pulmonary function, hospital re-admission and use of emergency room services.