Telemedicine for Patients Suffering From Heart Failure (Danish Telecare North Trial) (TCN)
Heart Failure
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Heart Failure focused on measuring Telemedicine, Effectiveness, Cost-effectiveness
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- All heart failure patients that may benefit from telehealthcare.
- Participants are qualified for inclusion if they have been diagnosed with HF according to national guidelines and are NYHA classified 2,3, and 4.
- Patients must have a permanent residence and be motivated for using telehealthcare. *Patients must have a landline or mobile phone and be able to speak Danish or they must live with a relative speaking Danish. Such that the relative must be able to help the patient in translating the information in the use of telehealthcare.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients without landline phone / mobile phone or GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) coverage.
- Patients not able to understand Danish adequately to complete the questionnaires in the study or patients having a cognitive impairment.
- Comorbidity is not an exclusion criterion.
Sites / Locations
- Aalborg University
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Active Comparator
No Intervention
Telemedicine
Usual care
A tablet (a Samsung GALAXY TAB 2 (10.1)) that holds information on handling heart failure in general. The device can also collect and transmit relevant disease-specific data, which are indicative of their current state of health, via a Digital Blood Pressure Monitor (Model UA-767, plus BT-C) and a scale. The device can measure four vital signs, which are transferred wirelessly: blood pressure, pulse, and weight. The tablet can be activated and give a sound, when it is time for taking measurements again.
In Denmark, usual practice for treating, monitoring and caring for patients with heart failure are the responsibility of the patient's general practitioner (treatment and monitoring) and the municipalities (practical help and nursing care). Heart failure patients can make appointments with their general practitioner or practice nurse free of charge in order to get help in managing heart failure. Community based care and practical help varies. As a rule community care comes at regular intervals based on a clinically based estimate of the patients' needs, but the personnel are not necessarily certified nurses and often not fully educated in heart failure and definitely not on call