Efficacy of distance healthcare technologies
| Intervention, number of studies, and results | Improvements in process or patient care |
|---|---|
| Computerised communications 7 studies—all showed improvement in process, patient care, or both | Improved glycohaemoglobin concentrations, dietetic knowledge and habits, and metabolic balance in patients with diabetes; improved decision confidence in caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease; reduction in ambulatory visits by college students |
| Telephone follow up and counselling 20 of 37 studies showed improvement in process, patient care, or both | Increased compliance with follow up instructions; higher patient satisfaction; fewer unkept appointments; reduced inappropriate follow up care in the emergency department; improved smoking cessation rates, low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations; functional capacity; reduced emergency room visits; increased knowledge; decreased depression and anxiety; more rapid recovery of normal activity levels among cardiac patients; increased mammography and colposcopic examination rates; improved pain management for osteoarthritis; therapy for panic disorder; antituberculosis chemoprophylaxis treatment; dental screening programme; and tobacco use prevention |
| Telephone reminder 14 of 23 studies showed improvement in process, patient care, or both | Improved appointment keeping, compliance with influenza vaccinations and medications, childhood immunisation; improved compliance with foot care instructions and behavioural interventions among patients with type II diabetes; decreased physical disability and pain in osteoarthritis |
| Interactive telephone systems 5 studies of 6 showed improvement in process, patient care, or both | Increased influenza vaccination and medication compliance in elderly; increased knowledge about Alzheimer's disease; improvement in number and timing of childhood immunisation visits; decreased alcohol consumption in patients with drinking problems |
| After hours telephone access 3 studies of 4 showed improvement in process, patient care, or both | Reduced hospital days, nursing home days, and outpatient visits; higher caregiver satisfaction for chronically or terminally ill patients; increased attendance at health maintenance visits, seeking of clinic care, and telephone contact attempts with clinicians by postpartum mothers |
| Telephone screening 1 study of 3 showed improvement in process | Reliable collection of clinical and administrative data from broad geographic patient population |