Remote health monitoring (RHM) services will be rolled out nationally next year as part of a new plan by the HSE to expand telehealth systems and reduce avoidable hospital admissions.
An estimated budget of €15 million is available for the expansion, which is due to commence around June 2026, according to tender documents recently released by the HSE, which outline details of the plan.
The HSE is currently seeking an organisation to supply and manage the service, which will provide care in a range of areas such as respiratory, cardiology, endocrinology, and maternity services.
The Executive defines ambulatory care as “clinical care provided on an outpatient basis, including diagnosis, observation, consultation, treatment, intervention, and rehabilitation services. This care can be provided in hospital outpatient and day wards, clinics, health facilities and in the home. It does not require overnight admission to a bed in a hospital or other healthcare facility and can include the use of advanced medical technology and procedures.”
According to the HSE, the use of RHM within the Irish health service is at an early stage currently, but is expected to expand significantly in the future.
RHM is defined by the HSE as activities that allow patients outside of formal healthcare settings to “acquire, record and relay clinically relevant information about their current condition to an electronic storage system where it can be used to inform or guide self-management decisions” and support diagnosis, treatment and care decisions by professionals.
According to the HSE, RHM is a viable clinical tool, which is a safe and efficient alternative to care provision in conventional clinical settings, such as hospitals.
RHM technologies allow clinicians to remotely monitor vital signs, physical symptoms, chronic conditions, and provide patient feedback, supporting the receipt of care, monitoring and treatment required from home.
The HSE believes the service will have many patient and overall healthcare system benefits, including reducing healthcare inequalities.
Virtual wards have been established in connection with some hospitals, but are not yet widespread nationally.
“An estimated 1.3 million people in Ireland live with one of the major chronic diseases including, but not limited to, cardiovascular disease, [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], asthma or diabetes,” the HSE outlined in tender documents.
“Based on current international and national experience, it is anticipated that a potential cohort of 20-25 per cent of these patients could benefit from the utilisation of remote health monitoring technologies to support their care.”
The expansion forms part of plans to provide greater telehealth services in order to provide care closer to home and facilitate earlier discharge from hospital.
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