Care of patients with respiratory disease in remote and rural areas: potential role of new technologies

Project timescale: 01/02/08 - 30/04/10

Funder: WS Sutherland Trust

Research Team:

David Godden, Principal Investigator, Centre for Rural Health d.godden@abdn.ac.uk

Gerry King, Centre for Rural Health gerry.king@abdn.ac.uk

Telehealth is the application of technologies that allow care to be given over a distance. These can range from simple telephone and e-mail communications between health professionals and patients, through to complex telemedicine monitoring systems. This study will define areas where developing telehealth techniques may be used to improve care of patients with respiratory disease in NHS Highland. The study will include several elements:

Mapping the population of patients with respiratory disease in Highland.
Defining the potential for existing and emerging technologies to support the care of these patients.
Defining promoters and barriers to the use of these technologies in Highland.
Using the information derived from stages 1-3 to develop specific telemedicine interventions to support care of patients with respiratory disease in Highland.

This study was be led by researchers from CRH, together with clinical consultants from NHS Highland involved in the day-to-day care of patients. The findings will be important for future services in Highland but will also be relevant for remote and rural health services in other countries.
The study is being funded by the WS Sutherland Trust, a charitable body which supports research into respiratory diseases in Highland.

Project outputs:

Care of patients with respiratory disease in remote and rural areas: Potential role of telehealth -Final Report. Gerry King, David J Godden. October 2009 (to receive a paper copy of this report please contact Fiona Smith f.a.smith@abdn.ac.uk)

Care of patients with respiratory disease in remote and rural areas : Potential role of telehealth - Executive Summary Gerry King, David J Godden. October 2009