The Future Of Heart Health

The Future Of Heart Health

28 September 2012

This Saturday World Heart Day aims to educate consumers that at least 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke can be avoided if main risk factors such as diet and physical activity are properly controlled1.

According to Tunstall Healthcare Clinical Consultant Ruth Skinner-Smith new telehealth technologies are now providing an easy and accessible way for patients to monitor heart health from the comfort of their own home.

“Daily monitoring and early intervention are key to maintaining heart health, and telehealth encourages patients to measure their vital signs from home on a daily basis,” she said.

“With telehealth patients gain a better understanding of their condition, they can see how factors such as diet and lifestyle directly affect their readings from day to day”.

Telehealth can assist those living with heart disease to better manage their condition, helping them to maintain their health and independence for longer than they otherwise would.

“Our telehealth patients complete a health interview at a set time each day which guides them through the process of taking their own vital sign readings from home. The data is then transmitted to a response centre where any abnormal readings for the patient are flagged for follow up,” Ms Skinner-Smith said.

This can be used to prompt community nurses to visit that patient or for the patient’s doctor to intervene before the situation reaches crisis level, preventing a heart attack or emergency trip to hospital.

Doctors and specialists are also provided with the patient’s trend data so they can see what medication is doing for the patient on a daily basis and quickly identify the correct mediation level for the patient.

The collected data can also be used by community nurses and doctors to coach the patient on their condition and show them how some activity has a direct correlation with their vital sign readings and general health.

Although not widely used throughout Australia yet, Tunstall telehealth is set to introduce a new mode of healthcare with some states beginning to implement telehealth trial programs to better manage the health of people living with chronic health conditions in their region.

To find out more about Heart Week visit www.heartfoundation.org.au.

To find out more about telehealth visit www.tunstallhealthcare.com.au or call 1800 611 528.

1 World Heart Federation, http://www.world-heart-federation.org/what-we-do/awareness/world-heart-day/about-world-heart-day/

About Tunstall

Tunstall Healthcare Group is the market leading provider of telehealthcare solutions, with over 2.5 million users globally. Tunstall’s solutions support older people and those with long-term needs, helping them to live independently by effectively managing their health and well-being. Its solutions have been proven effective in the world’s largest telehealthcare trial (www.tunstallwsd.co.uk).

Tunstall provides technology, expertise and advice to millions of people enabling them to lead independent more fulfilling lives. For more information on how telehealthcare can improve quality of life, visit www.tunstallhealthcare.com.au.

ENDS

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