Guest blog: vitaphone USA: Silencing the Silent Killer in 30 Days

Over thirty percent of the US population has hypertension, and fewer than half of those with hypertension have it under control. Many people never know they have high blood pressure, suitably dubbed “the silent killer.” Is it any wonder then that the prevalence and hospitalization rates of congestive heart failure (CHF) have continued to rise, when the majority of patients have hypertension, very likely uncontrolled, before developing CHF? How can we get ahead of the CHF curve? In a 30 day pilot, vitaphone’s patient engagement and mHealth solution empowered cardiologists and patients to drive the average systolic blood pressure down by 20 points in just four weeks, dropping it a total of 30 points by week five.

In the newly-published study 30 Days to Make a Difference, vitaphone shows how Los Angeles area physicians’ use of remote patient monitoring and patient engagement and education by a Telemedicine Service Center (TSC) greatly shortened the provider feedback interval, facilitated more precise medication therapy, and left patients feeling more confident in their ability to manage their conditions. vitaphone’s international expertise in using similar methodologies to reduce admissions for CHF patients was a powerful ally to physicians who wanted to see if it could also address a frequent precursor to CHF: hypertension.

Interested to engage, educate and monitor patients remotely? Pick up your copy of the peer-reviewed, Journal of Healthcare Information Management (JHIM) publication 30 Days to Make a Difference: Evaluating the 30-Day Effects of a Comprehensive Remote Patient Monitoring, Shortened Provider Feedback Interval, and Patient Engagement and Education Program on Hypertensive Patients in Orlando, Florida, February 24-27, at the HIMSS14 vitaphone health solutions kiosk, Qualcomm Life Pavilion, booth 6489. Or, contact us at 702-374-1270 / btritle@vitaphoneus.com HIMSS members can also access the mobile health JHIM edition digitally at http://tinyurl.com/ohp68sw

Author: Brad Tritle, vitaphone USA

How to reduce preventable deaths from heart disease and stroke?

The graph down shows that between the age of 65 and 74 the preventable deaths for stroke and heart disease have declined from 2002 until now. Under the age of 65 these deaths remain the same.

Graph Preventable deaths from heart disease and stroke

Lack of access to preventive screenings and early treatment for high blood pressure and high cholesterol can explain the differences between these age groups. With Vitaphone’s devices and services cardiovascular diseases can be monitored. The medical professional can follow and support patient progress with:

• PICO, medication adherence support system. This solution supports people to take their medication as prescribed
• Tele-ECG-card. ECG monitoring whenever en where ever patients want
• Cardiac Event Loop Recorder: monitors the hearth continuously.

Take a look at our solutions @ www.vitaphone.nl
Author: Indy Kavelaars
Source: Centers for Disease Control and prevention

Infografic: Telehealth

Have a look at these very interesting results:

• 67% of the respondents are already using telehealth;
• Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) is the most important target for future telehealth programs! So our solutions like the Vitaphone Tele-ECG-card and the Cardiac Event Loop Recorders fit nicely in!
• From Clinical Applications, Remote Monitoring is the most important one. No surprise if you look at the results of our Medication Adherence Support System (MASS) PICO.
• Remote Monitoring is most applied to Heart Failure.

Well, it seems Vitaphone supports healthcare community all the way!

Author: Indy Kavelaars
Via: Healthcare Intelligence Network