TeleHealth – New ways of supporting chronically ill Heart Failure patients

Room H3

European TeleHealth activities are driven by a number of factors, including concerns about how public services are going to meet the needs and expectations of an ageing population and how health and social care resources can be used most effectively to enhance quality of care, patient quality of life and independent living.

The magnitude of the topic can be exemplified by looking at the development of Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) in Europe. CHF is largely a disease of old age and represents the leading hospital diagnosis in older adults. It is estimated that there are currently 6.5 million Congestive Heart Failure patients in Europe, and this number is increasing because of the aging population and the ability of a growing number of individuals to survive to an age when CHF is likely to become a problem. Approximately 1 – 2% of health expenditure in industrialised nations is spent on providing care to these patients (about 70% on hospitalisation).

Based on resent studies TeleHealth could have a very significant effect on helping to contain healthcare budgets, allowing patients to live longer and improve their quality of life.

This presentation will provide an overview of initial European heart failure TeleHealth results, as well as perspective how these services could evolve in the coming years.

Chris Westerteicher

Director Operations – Philips Connected Care Europe
christoph.westerteicher/@/philips.com