SOLUTIONS FOR COPD

SHL Telemedicine’s chronic disease monitoring program, launched in 2006, supports patients suffering from
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (“COPD”).
Drawing on more than a quarter of a century of experience and our own periodic user surveys, we know that our users’ confidence rises dramatically under the supportive umbrella of our friendly, efficient COPD monitoring program, which is widely supported by our users’ physicians and their health insurers and payers.

SHL’s COPD monitoring program:

• Dramatically reduces the number and length of hospital stays
• Stabilizes patients while improving their quality of life
• Reduces the risk of complications
• Prevents deterioration in the patient’s overall condition

How the COPD program works

Monitoring – each patient receives SHL telemedicine monitoring devices appropriate to their condition. All our devices are easy to use and come with simple instructions. The user’s test results are automatically transmitted to the telemedicine center at the frequency that is set for that user. Whether daily, weekly or on presentation of new symptoms, the data recorded is automatically transmitted without the patient having to dial in or even talk to the center.

At the center, SHL processes the new data and compares it against past tests and the base line for that patient. Any difference, any turning point in any vital signs, triggers an alert at the SHL telemedicine center, and a call will be made to that patient by one of our medical staff.

We collect the type of clinical data that physicians would collect if they were sitting face-to-face with their patients. This enables the SHL caller to adjust medication or carry out other interventions according to guidelines in the system provided by the user’s own physician.

Our users who suffer from COPD tell us they spend far fewer days in hospital than they used to before joining our service and are so much happier with their quality of life. Equally, as the volume of readmissions drops, health insurers and payers enjoy reduced total disease expenditure.

Compliance and Stabilization – at SHL, we know how important it is for our users to comply with their treatment program and take their medication. We do more than merely mention it. We have patient compliance built into the SHL system.

If scheduled data is not received from our users at the agreed testing frequency, an alert is automatically triggered. We call to check their condition, get them help should they need it, and give them plenty of encouragement to get back on to their prescribed treatment track. We also make adjustments in their compliance program as necessary. Our focus on compliance has inherent benefits for health insurers and payers, as readmission levels, and their heavy cost, are unlikely to improve if patients do not play their part.

Education – if your patients meet all their commitments, take their medication, do their monitoring tests and feel well, they will not be overlooked. They too will get a phone call – at a frequency that matches their user profile – to educate them toward an improved diet, changes in exercising and lifestyle, and a general boost to further improve their self-management skills.

Contact us today to find out how SHL Telemedicine can help you reduce your COPD costs and improve your clients’ quality of life.