Home Monitoring Programs for Patients Testing Positive for SARS-CoV-2: An Integrative Literature Review

Prospective Cohort Study of Remote Patient Monitoring with and without Care Coordination for Hypertension in Primary Care

BACKGROUND

Out-of-office blood pressure (BP) measurements contribute valuable information for guiding clinical management of hypertension. Measurements from home devices can be directly transmitted to patients' electronic health record for use in remote monitoring programs.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare in primary care practice care coordinator-assisted implementation of remote patient monitoring (RPM) for hypertension to RPM implementation alone and to usual care.

METHODS

This was a pragmatic observational cohort study. Patients aged 65 to 85 years with Medicare insurance from two populations were included: those with uncontrolled hypertension and a general hypertension group seeing primary care physicians (PCPs) within one health system. Exposures were clinic-level availability of RPM plus care coordination, RPM alone, or usual care. At two clinics (13 PCPs), nurse care coordinators with PCP approval offered RPM to patients with uncontrolled office BP and assisted with initiation. At two clinics (39 PCPs), RPM was at PCPs' discretion. Twenty clinics continued usual care. Main measures were controlling high BP (<140/90 mm Hg), last office systolic blood pressure (SBP), and proportion with antihypertensive medication intensification.

RESULTS

Among the Medicare cohorts with uncontrolled hypertension, 16.7% (39/234) of patients from the care coordination clinics were prescribed RPM versus <1% (4/600) at noncare coordination sites. RPM-enrolled care coordination group patients had higher baseline SBP than the noncare coordination group (148.8 vs. 140.0 mm Hg). After 6 months, in the uncontrolled hypertension cohorts the prevalences of controlling high BP were 32.5% (RPM with care coordination), 30.7 % (RPM alone), and 27.1% (usual care); multivariable adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) were 1.63 (1.12-2.39; p = 0.011) and 1.29 (0.98-1.69; p = 0.068) compared with usual care, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Care coordination facilitated RPM enrollment among poorly controlled hypertension patients and may improve hypertension control in primary care among Medicare patients.

Virtual wards: a rapid evidence synthesis and implications for the care of older people

BACKGROUND

Virtual wards are being rapidly developed within the National Health Service in the UK, and frailty is one of the first clinical pathways. Virtual wards for older people and existing hospital at home services are closely related.

METHODS

In March 2022, we searched Medline, CINAHL, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and medRxiv for evidence syntheses which addressed clinical-effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, barriers and facilitators, or staff, patient or carer experience for virtual wards, hospital at home or remote monitoring alternatives to inpatient care.

RESULTS

We included 28 evidence syntheses mostly relating to hospital at home. There is low to moderate certainty evidence that clinical outcomes including mortality (example pooled RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.60-0.99) were probably equivalent or better for hospital at home. Subsequent residential care admissions are probably reduced (example pooled RR 0.35, 95% CI 0.22-0.57). Cost-effectiveness evidence demonstrated methodological issues which mean the results are uncertain. Evidence is lacking on cost implications for patients and carers. Barriers and facilitators operate at multiple levels (organisational, clinical and patient). Patient satisfaction may be improved by hospital at home relative to inpatient care. Evidence for carer experience is limited.

CONCLUSIONS

There is substantial evidence for the clinical effectiveness of hospital at home but less evidence for virtual wards. Guidance for virtual wards is lacking on key aspects including team characteristics, outcome selection and data protection. We recommend that research and evaluation is integrated into development of virtual ward models. The issue of carer strain is particularly relevant.

Enhancing Resilience in Family Caregivers Using an mHealth App

BACKGROUND

We previously developed a mobile health (mHealth) app (Roadmap) to promote the resilience of family caregivers during the acute phases of care in patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT).

OBJECTIVE

This study explored users' perspectives on the uptake of Roadmap's multicomponent features and the app's utility in promoting resilience.

METHODS

Fifteen participants were randomized to the full version of the app that included resilience-building activities and the other 15 were randomized to the control version that included a limited view of the app (i.e., without any resilience-building activities). They were instructed to use the app for 120 days. Semistructured qualitative interviews were then conducted with users as part of an ongoing, larger Roadmap study (NCT04094844). During the interview, caregiver participants were asked about their overall experiences with the app, frequency of use, features used, facilitators of and barriers to use, and their perspectives on its utility in promoting resilience. Data were professionally transcribed, coded, and categorized through content analysis.

RESULTS

Interviews were conducted with 30 participants, which included 23 females and 7 males. The median age of the population was 58 years (range, 23-82). The four main themes that emerged included app use, ease of use, user experiences, and ability to foster resilience. The subthemes identified related to facilitators (convenience and not harmful), barriers (caregiver burden and being too overwhelmed during the acute phases of HCT care), resilience (optimism/positivity and self-care), and app design improvements (personalization and notifications/reminders).

CONCLUSION

The qualitative evaluation provided insights into which components were utilized and how one, or a combination of the multicomponent features, may be enhancing users' experiences. Lessons learned suggest that the Roadmap app contributed to promoting resilience during the acute phases of HCT care. Nonetheless, features that provided enhanced personalization may further improve longer-term engagement.

Evaluación de la usabilidad de una aplicación móvil para pacientes con catéter central de inserción periférica

Resumen Objetivo: evaluar la usabilidad de la aplicación Meu PICC para el seguimiento extrahospitalario de pacientes que usan catéter central de inserción periférica por medio del instrumento validado System Usability Scale. Método: estudio transversal que aplicó el System Usability Scale a 30 pacientes que usan catéter central de inserción periférica, diez enfermeros y ocho profesionales en tecnología de la información para evaluar la usabilidad de la aplicación. Resultados: hubo diferencia estadística entre la edad y la usabilidad (p=0,006), así como una correlación negativa entre el tiempo de uso de la aplicación y la usabilidad (p=0,002). Según la escala de clasificación de adjetivos del System Usability Scale, el 40,0% de los pacientes consideró que la aplicación era mejor imaginable y el 33,3% excelente. En cuanto a las enfermeras, el 70,0% consideró que la aplicación era mejor imaginable y el 20,0% excelente; de los profesionales en tecnologías de la información, el 50,0% consideró que la aplicación era mejor imaginable y el 50,0% excelente. Conclusión: la evaluación de usabilidad determinó que los pacientes, enfermeros y profesionales en TIC consideraron que la aplicación era útil para el seguimiento de pacientes que utilizan PICC y la calificaron como adecuada, otorgándole la calificación de mejor imaginable o excelente. Estos resultados confirman el uso de la aplicación Meu PICC en el seguimiento de pacientes que usan PICC fuera del hospital.

Usability assessment of a mobile app for patients with peripherally inserted central catheters

OBJECTIVE

to evaluate usability of the Meu PICC (My PICC) app for follow-up of outpatients using peripherally inserted central catheters through the validated System Usability Scale instrument.

METHOD

a cross-sectional study that applied the System Usability Scale to 30 patients using peripherally inserted central catheters, ten nurses and eight Information and Communication Technology professionals to assess usability of the app.

RESULTS

a statistical difference was observed between age and usability (p=0.006), as well as a negative correlation between app use time and usability (p=0.002). As per the System Usability Scale adjectival classification, 40.0% and 33.3% of the patients considered the app as the best possible to be imagined and as excellent, respectively. In relation to the nurses, 70.0% considered the app as the best possible to be imagined and 20.0% as excellent; of the Information and Communication Technology professionals, 50.0% considered the app as the best possible to be imagined and the other 50.0%, as excellent.

CONCLUSION

the usability assessment showed that patients, nurses and ICT professionals considered the app useful for monitoring patients using PICCs and evaluated it as appropriate, evaluating it as the best possible to be imagined or as excellent. These results corroborate use of the Meu PICC app in the monitoring of outpatient use of PICCs.

Avaliação de usabilidade de aplicativo móvel para pacientes com cateter central de inserção periférica

Resumo Objetivo: avaliar a usabilidade do aplicativo Meu PICC para o acompanhamento extra-hospitalar de pacientes em uso de cateter central de inserção periférica por meio do instrumento validado System Usability Scale. Método: estudo transversal que aplicou o System Usability Scale a 30 pacientes em uso de cateter central de inserção periférica, dez enfermeiros e oito profissionais de tecnologia da informação para avaliar a usabilidade do aplicativo. Resultados: observou-se diferença estatística entre idade e usabilidade (p=0,006), bem como correlação negativa entre o tempo de utilização do aplicativo e usabilidade (p=0,002). Pela classificação adjetiva do System Usability Scale, 40,0% dos pacientes consideraram o aplicativo como o melhor imaginável e 33,3% como excelente. Com relação aos enfermeiros, 70,0% consideraram o aplicativo como o melhor imaginável e 20,0% como excelente; dos profissionais de tecnologia da informação, 50,0% consideraram o aplicativo como o melhor imaginável e 50,0% excelente. Conclusão: a avaliação de usabilidade mostrou que pacientes, enfermeiros e profissionais de TIC consideraram o aplicativo útil para o acompanhamento de pacientes em uso de PICC e o avaliaram como adequado, atribuindo-lhe a qualificação de melhor imaginável ou excelente. Estes resultados corroboram para o uso do aplicativo Meu PICC no acompanhamento de pacientes em uso extra-hospitalar de PICC.