Remote monitoring via an electronic platform

The E-care project offers an ‘intelligent’ electronic platform to remotely monitor people with heart failure (HF) and detect any sign of a deterioration of the condition.

The project was piloted in Strasbourg in 2013. It aimed to optimise monitoring of people with HF, allow for the early detection of deterioration and ultimately reduce readmissions to hospital and improve quality of life.

Participants had a console installed in their homes to collect and measure vital signs e.g. electrocardiogram (ECG), heart sounds, weight and blood pressure. The console automatically processed information and created alerts if there were any signs that the person’s HF was getting worse.

What has it achieved?

So far, 130 people with HF have participated in the programme and around 1,000 measurements have been collected.

Resources and other practical implications

While the E-care project is still in its testing phase, it suggests that using more advanced technology in telemonitoring can help reduce hospital readmissions among people with HF.

Links, references and key reading

Andrès E, Talha S, Hajjam M, et al. E-Care Project: A Promising E-Platform for Optimizing Management of Chronic Heart Failure and Other Chronic Diseases. Heart Research 2015; 2(1): 39-45.

Andrès E, Talha S, Benyahia A, et al. E-santé : une solution d’avenir pour une prise en charge optimisée des pathologies chroniques. Innovations 2014; 20(3): 127-36.