Potential role of telecommunication technologies in the management of chronic health conditions

During the twentieth century, chronic health conditions (which include both chronic diseases and impairments), became the major cause of illness, disa bility and death in developed countries. The high prevalence of chronic con ditions among the elderly, combined with a rapidly growing population of el derly people, is expected to dramatically increase the absolute numbers of people with chronic care needs in the twenty-first century. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of recent technological deve lopments which have stimulated the use of telecommunication technologies in healthcare delivery to persons with chronic illnesses. Although the potent ial of this approach has been well recognised since the early 1960s, limita tions of early telecommunication technologies (such as absence of common pr otocols), restricted accessibility, and high cost prevented their widesprea d use. The Internet and World Wide Web technologies, deployment of high-spe ed telecommunications networks coupled with a decline in their operating co sts, and invention of devices capable of capturing and transmitting data fr om patients' homes are discussed in terms of their impact on chronic diseas e care. Healthcare delivery applications in 3 major areas (primary preventi on and early disease detection, chronic disease control and symptom managem ent, personal and social support) where use of telecommunication systems in the management of chronic medical conditions have been shown to be effecti ve are reviewed. We conclude that the use of telecommunication technologies in the managemen t of chronic diseases will likely expand rapidly during the early twenty-fi rst century with the expectation that these systems will have a significant impact on quality of life and healthcare costs of patients with chronic co nditions.