Vl. Phillips et al., Using telehealth interventions to prevent pressure ulcers in newly injuredspinal cord injury patients post-discharge - Results from a pilot study, INT J TE A, 15(4), 1999, pp. 749-755
Citations number
15
Categorie Soggetti
Health Care Sciences & Services
Journal title
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT IN HEALTH CARE
Objective: To determine which of three approaches to care produces the lowe
st incidence of pressure ulcers, promotes the most effective care of sores
that develop, and leads to the fewest hospitalizations in newly injured pat
ients with spinal cord injury after discharge.
Methods: Spinal cord injury patients (n = 12) were recruited for a teleheal
th intervention after initial injury, and matched cases were recruited for
telephone counseling and standard care groups. Patients were monitored for
6-8 months after discharge.
Results: The video group had the greatest number of reported and identified
pressure ulcers. Differences in health care utilization between the video
and telephone telehealth groups were small. The standard care group reporte
d the lowest number of pressure ulcers and lowest frequency of health care
utilization. Substantial differences existed in employment rates before and
after injury. The video group had the lowest pre-injury rate of employment
and the highest post-injury rate of employment.
Conclusions: Tracking pressure ulcer incidence, particularly stage I sores,
is difficult. Self-report is likely to lead to substantial underreporting.
Similarly, self-report on health care utilization over extended periods ma
y lead to undercounting of encounters. Telehealth interventions appear to i
mprove ulcer tracking and management of all ulcer occurrences. Video interv
entions may affect outcomes, such as employment rates, which are not conven
tionally measured.