Up to 30,000 patients across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, in the southeast of England, could benefit from using self-care technology to support them in managing their health.
As the UK Government formally launches its 3millionlives campaign, NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly has revealed the scale of its local ambition for roll-out of the telehealth programme over the next five years. Telehealth was trialled on patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), heart failure and diabetes, with good results.
The trial shows that if used correctly, telehealth can deliver huge benefits for patients including a 15% reduction in A&E visits, a 20% reduction in emergency admissions, and a 14% reduction in the need for planned admissions. More strikingly, they also demonstrate a 45% reduction in mortality rates.
"We went into the trial excited about the prospects and we have emerged from it absolutely delighted with the results,” said Carol Williams, Director of Nursing. “It works. Patients love it and it enables the NHS to support them in ways that simply haven't been possible before. “Our ambition now is to use this technology to assist us in transforming healthcare over the next five years."