The role of telemonitoring in patients on home mechanical ventilation

What is it about?

Monitoring of patients with chronic respiratory failure on home mechanical ventilation can be done remotely. This has several advantages; hospital visits may be prevented and deterioration may be detected earlier so that action can be taken earlier. There is an urgent need further development and investigations of telemonitoring solutions to initiate, follow- up and adjust treatment in patients with chronic respiratory failure. It has been shown that home initiation of NIV is preferred by patients and caregivers, feasible and non-inferior regarding efficiency in comparison to in-hospital initiation. Follow-up of patients on HMV could be improved and made more efficient by incorporating telemonitoring, especially for patients living in more remote areas. However, there is lack of evidence about which parameters need to be telemonitored and how often this should be done in different disease to improve outcomes in a cost-effective way. Multicomponent patient centered interventions incorporating monitoring, interventions and education seem attractive, but there is also a need of further investigation in this field showing how this will improve care and will be feasible and cost-effective solution for the future.

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