CHESS: The Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System. An Evaluation of ItsEffect on the Quality of Life, Risk Taking Behavior and Use of Health Services in HIV Infected People. Abstract, Executive Summary and Final Report

摘要

Computer support in the form of the Comprehensive Health Enhancement SupportSystem (CHESS), provided through a personal computer made available to the patient, is intended to furnish good information, help in making decisions, and social support. This study assessed its impact on health service utilization, health status or quality of life, and risk behavior in 204 HIV-positive persons. CHESS users reported greater improvement that controls in actively participating in their health care and decreased levels of negative emotions. During outpatient visits, CHESS users spent significantly less time with primary care providers and HIV specialists. CHESS patients had a lesser increase in 'the average probability of (hospital) admission' and shorter lengths of stay than the control group. Estimated savings in regard to costs of inpatient care were $417 per month during the period of CHESS use, or approximately 40% of the average monthly cost of AIDS care. These savings were considerably larger than the cost of providing CHESS services. CHESS is applicable to many other problems. Current programs exist for topics such as breast cancer and rape, and new programs are planned for diabetes, depression, and substance abuse.