The Maxima Medisch Centrum (MMC) is conducting research into safe care for the elderly. Older people run health risks when they visit the emergency room of the hospital. Telemonitoring can reduce readmissions and the exposure of vulnerable people to the risks of hospital visits.
“The increasing number of elderly patients in the emergency department emphasises the importance of well-organised acute care because the elderly often have more complex care needs,” says Jayce Wachelder, a medical researcher at MMC. Older people are more likely to suffer falls, infections, medication errors, or confusion, reports the MMC.
In addition, they often have conditions for which they regularly have to return. This increases the risk of additional health issues.
Telemonitoring is the remote monitoring of vital statistics. These include breathing, body temperature, the oxygen level in the blood, and movement.
“It is a user-friendly option for the future to prevent, for example, readmissions. The study showed that telemonitoring was well tolerated by the elderly, but that they often needed help using the systems,” said Wachelder.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Yawar
