Comparing the costs of home telemonitoring and usual care of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: A randomized controlled trial

Background We investigated the effects associated with a telehomecare program for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as part of a retrospective and prospective comparative randomized trial. This project was carried out in a regional homecare service for patients with severe chronic lung disease, located in Montreal, Canada. Methods For a period of 21.5 months, we followed a group of 60 patients receiving remote care and a comparable group of 60 patients receiving regular homecare services. We measured the intervention's effects on consumption of health services (emergency room visits, hospital admissions, and home visits by nurses and respiratory therapists) and the economic viability of the telehomecare program. Results The results indicate that the intervention significantly reduced the number of hospitalization days and, to a smaller extent, the number of emergency room visits. Our economic analysis yielded positive results; the telehomecare program saved $1613 per patient per year compared to traditional homecare, representing a net gain of 14%. Conclusion Despite the positive results found in this study, future research is needed to confirm the cost effectiveness of home telemonitoring for COPD patients. These assessments ought to consider key economic parameters as well as the effects of home telemonitoring on the perceived quality of life and other relevant clinical indicators.