eHealth in Self-Managing at a Distance Patients with COPD

Abstract

Worldwide, healthcare delivery for chronic diseases has been challenging due to the current SARS-COV-2 pandemic. The growing use of information and communication technologies via telehealth has gained popularity in all fields of medicine. In chronic respiratory diseases, self-management, defined as a structured but personalized multi-component intervention with the main goal of achieving healthy behavioral change, is an essential element of long-term care. Iterative interventions delivered by a well-trained health coach in order to empower and provide the patient with the tools and skills needed to adopt sustained healthy behaviors have proven to be effective in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Benefits have been shown to both improve patient quality of life and reduce acute exacerbation events and acute healthcare utilization. In COPD, the evidence so far has shown us that remote technologies such as telemonitoring or remote management may improve patient-reported outcomes and healthcare utilization. However, clear limitations are still present and questions remain unanswered. More and better designed studies are therefore necessary to define the place of eHealth in self-managing at a distance in patients with COPD.

Experiences of Using an Electronic Health Tool Among Health Care Professionals Involved in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Management: Qualitative Analysis

“…The patients also adhered better to treatment, thus increasing their self-management ability. The latter is of utmost importance as self-management is one of the cornerstones of successful COPD management for which eHealth tools may play a vital part [ 2 , 16 , 18 , 26 , 37 ]. Furthermore, the 3- and 12-month data collection enabled novel insights into how the use of an eHealth tool could change over time, and that among those who continued to use the tool, it was now an integrated part of their daily clinical practice.…”

“…Recently, eHealth tools have been put forward as a viable alternative supporting health care professionals in providing evidence-based care, for example, by reinforcing information and interventions provided to the patients and providing easier access and support to the health care professional themselves [ 23 , 24 ]. Furthermore, eHealth tools are considered a promising way for health care professionals to interact with and support patients and their families at a distance [ 25 , 26 ], and they may improve patient-related outcomes and health care utilization by providing self-management support for the patient and decision support for the health care professional [ 26 ]. Besides, attitudes toward using eHealth tools among health care professionals are generally positive.…”

ERS International Congress 2023: highlights from the Allied Respiratory Professionals Assembly

“…These apps typically offer a limited number of features to encourage physical activity and tend to focus mostly on monitoring, feedback and offering advice [ 64 ]. The delivery of self-management through digital technology raises questions about its limits and effectiveness, especially concerning different disease severities and comorbidities [ 65 ].…”

Shifting Responsibilities: Developing a Pan-European Service Model for an eHealth Technology Supporting Self-Management of People with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Comorbidities

“… 18 Many benefits are expected; it has the potential to reduce healthcare costs, to improve accessibility of healthcare, and to empower patients in their self-management. 19–23 To eventually achieve these expected benefits for patients, it is important to involve them early on in the different stages of the development process, eg, during requirement elicitation, prototype development, and usability testing. Such co-design approaches may enhance learning and empower patients.…”