If like me you are frequently asked for a summary of what has happened recently in the world of telehealth & telecare and are forced either to sit down and cut & paste/write one or politely turn down the request, you’ll be pleased to know of the recent four-page summary produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST). Written by Peter Border, it is a competent summary of recent developments in remote monitoring in the UK, including 3millionlives & ALIP, extending to mention of the regulation of medical apps.
Of course there are bits I’d have written differently. For example I’d have explained that technology is best seen as a catalyst for changing the way care is delivered, which is one reason why the WSD benefits were so low, and that the WSD contract was awarded in 2007 when equipment costs (a major component of cost/QALY) were far higher than they are now. The description of telecare with its focus on a home hub is perhaps also now becoming dated in the era of mobile devices and SIM-enabled sensors.
Well worth having on hand to respond to that request though…and well worth a look if only to see the artist’s impression from long ago of a teleconsultation.
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